This tiny sea snail, or pteropod, curiously resembles a Roman soldier's helmet. The specimen was brought up from the deep sea during last month's Census of Marine Life mission, conducted near the Bermuda Triangle.

Because most sea life exists in the ocean's upper levels, few studies until now have focused on the region below 1,000 meters (3,281 feet). But scientists believe the deeper ecosystems may play a particularly crucial role in regulating the global climate.

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