Sequencing Zooplankton Genome.

Census of Marine Zooplankton captured thousands of microscopic animal specimens from the ocean bottom in an effort to map their DNA:

The latest research cruise in the ongoing Census of Marine Zooplankton project pulled weird and wonderful looking organisms up from as deep as 5000 metres, far surpassing the 1000 m depth of previous expeditions.

The goal of the project is to create a comprehensive genetic "encyclopaedia" of all the zooplankton species that live in the open ocean by 2010.

The picture on the left is that of Clio pyramidata, a swimming snail and one of the first zooplankton to have its genes sequenced.

Link | CMarZ Project (video goodness: Link)