Scientists have discovered 30 new species in the depths of the Southern Ocean, including iridescent scale worms and a carnivorous “death ball” sponge.
The small, round sponge of the genus chondrocladiaIt is covered in small hooks that trap its prey, according to the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, which confirmed the discoveries. Scale worms, of the genus eulagismThey are armored and glow slightly blue. The scientists also detailed new types of sea feathers, starfish, bivalves and black corals found in the deep ocean.
Overall, researchers collected thousands of specimens and photographs from the bottom of the Southern Ocean, searching in trenches, around dormant volcanoes and near hydrothermal vents. In their search, they discovered new coral gardens and recorded the first images of a juvenile colossal squid. In one foray, scientists explored a swath of seafloor exposed by the calving of a massive ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula, and found a variety of marine life that had previously been sealed under more than 400 feet of ice.
“The Southern Ocean remains deeply undersampled,” said Michelle Taylor, chief science officer at The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census. “To date, we have only evaluated less than 30 percent of the samples collected on this expedition, so confirming 30 new species already shows how much biodiversity is still undocumented.”
Left: A juvenile colossal squid found near the South Sandwich Islands. Right: A deep-sea coral garden discovered in the Southern Ocean. Schmidt Ocean Institute; Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census / Schmidt Ocean Institute
Scientists estimate that there are up to 2 million species in the oceans, but of those, only 240,000 have been formally identified. They say finding new species could lead to advances in conservation, medicine and materials science. The Nippon-Nekton Ocean Census Foundation has set a goal of discovering 100,000 new ocean species.
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