Arcturididae modal cashmere shawl

Designed in Scotland.
Size: 140cm x 200cm.
Silk chiffon variant: 100% silk chiffon; rolled edges.
Modal cashmere variant: 90% modal and 10% cashmere; Fringed and hemmed edges.
Made in the UK.
Dry clean only.

Every scarf is accompanied by a story card or booklet, and is presented in a luxurious Crùbag gift box.

Seamounts are underwater mountains. Like mountains on land, they tower above the immediate surrounding area. In contrast to mountains on land, which can be quite barren, devoid of flora and fauna in comparison to the valleys below, seamounts are often covered in the most abundant and incredibly beautiful animals.

To be classified as a seamount, these undersea mountains must reach at least 1,000 metres in height, but some of the examples studied have reached heights of 3,000 or even 4,000 metres these depths whose exploration even now pushes the boundaries of science and technology and leads to new discoveries. Many seamounts are located in very remote places far from land, so it can take many days even to reach the sites by ship.

Inspired by benthic macrofauna living in the South-West Indian Ridge (SWIOR), the this series will take you to some of the most remote places on Earth.

These beautiful alien-looking organisms is a crustacean living among hard corals in the deep sea. Their fascinating bodies mimic coral polyps. They are a commensal species, meaning that one organism benefits from the other without harming it.

At the beginning of this project, the SWIOR was an unexplored region which is of particular interest due to its position in relation to major ocean currents, gradients of primary productivity, and temperature. At the end of 2011, a research expedition was undertaken onboard the RRS James Cook (JC066) to investigate, for the first time ever, the benthic deep-sea fauna within a depth range of 200-3,000 meters below the surface along five seamounts of the SWIOR: Coral seamount, Melville Bank, Middle of What, Sapmer, and Atlantis Bank.

Results showed diverse ecosystems, large deep-water coral reefs, beautiful colourful coral gardens, sponge grounds, and incredible macrofauna biodiversity.

The sheer variety of animals such as corals and sponges that can be seen on seamounts with a remotely operated vehicle (ROVs) is impressive in itself, but there are many more organisms that can only be seen with a microscope. These are incredible, diverse underwater landscapes just teeming with life.

In 2011, a team exploring seamounts in the southwest Indian Ocean for six weeks, sampled across five different seamounts along the ridge. They discovered amongst other things, a new species of crustacean isopod called Arcturididae (family), Arcturides (genus) on three of the seamounts.

To date, this family of Arcturididae contains only one genus: Arcturides. However, new information indicates that it may contain at least two other species.Two of them had been described before, but were previously thought to be found only in Africa, and a third that was completely new. The DNA of these species is now undergoing further analysis to see how they are related to each other and to other species within the same order. This will help establish how they have evolved.

We are sharing here the news of a new marine species through textiles before it has been published in science. This is a world first.

Each scarf is paired with its written ocean literacy story, sharing the science and images that inspired the collection. 

Every purchase helps fund and communicate leading research. Our impact partners are dedicated to solving global issues through marine science. 

By wearing your Crùbag products and sharing the story, you are part of the ocean advocacy movement, educating, inspiring others around you.

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