After a whale dies, it may float up to the ocean’s surface to be scavenged by seabirds and sharks. Eventually, though, the carcass starts slowly sinking, and once the body reaches the ocean floor, it’s known as a whale fall. This is part of a...
whalefall n.— «The ocean is home to many weird creatures, but few that are as weird as the worms of the genus Osedax. The handful of known species of these worms feast on the bones of “whalefalls,” carcasses on the seafloor.» —“Whales Are Tasty...