Deep Sea Bonanza: Newly Discovered Species from the Ocean Depths
The Earth is a spectacle of natural wonders, and not just above ground. Beneath the ocean’s surface, as deep as mountains are high lives an astonishing variety of life forms, including some of the most bizarre animals ever seen by human eyes. In a recent expedition mounted by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, scientists explored seamounts (sea mountains) along the Nazca and Salas y Gomez Ridge that spans nearly 3000 km from offshore Chile to Easter Island. Using robots that descended to a depth of 1388 meters – an area even deeper than the Twilight Zone (200 – 1,000 meters), they discovered over 100 new species of marine life, including deep-sea colorful corals and sponges, strange-looking fish and “Dumbo” octopuses. “We’ve far exceeded our hopes on this expedition. You always expect to find new species in these remote and poorly explored areas, but the amount we found, especially for some groups like sponges is mind-blowing,” said Dr. Javier Sellanes who led the expedition.
Scroll below for a glimpse of this deep-sea bonanza (all photo credits to Schmidt Ocean Institute)
Photo Gallery
A bathymetric map of Solito Seamount off the coast of Chile created by multibeam sonar data. In this map, the warmer colors (red and orange) correspond to shallower areas while the cooler colors (yellow, green, and blues) indicate deeper areas. The scientists on the expedition found that each seamount hosted distinct ecosystems, including thriving deep-sea coral reefs and sponge gardens, indicating the seamounts support numerous vulnerable marine habitats.
A squat lobster documented in coral at a depth of 669 meters.
A spiraling coral documented at 1419 meters deep.
This Chaunacops was spotted at a depth of 1388 meters (0.86 miles). Chaunacops are also affectionately known as sea toads.
A rarely seen whiplash squid documented at a depth of 1105 meters in the Nazca Ridge.
Detail of a sponge documented at 1238.67 meters depth.
Grimpoteuthis, affectionately nicknamed “Dumbo” is a rare member of the octopus family. It is is a deep sea animal that lives on the ocean floor at extreme depths of 9,800 to 13,000 feet. They are small animals, around 8 inches tall, and have a pair of fins located on their mantle—their namesake—and webbing between their arms. Grimpoteuthis swim often hover just above the seafloor looking for snails, worms, and other food (short video clip below).
Watch
Grimpoteuthis – the “Dumbo” Octopus, filmed from a depth of 950m below sea level.
