An international team of scientists, led by Dr. Javier Sellanes of Chile’s Universidad Católica del Norte, may have discovered over 100 new species living on the undersea mountains off the coast of Chile.
The recent expedition by the Schmidt Ocean Institute allowed researchers to identify several potentially new species, including deep sea corals, glass sponges, sea urchins, amphipods, lobsters and more.
The team explored underwater mountains along the Nazca and Salas y Gomez ridges, both inside and outside Chile’s jurisdiction, to collect data that could support designating a new international high seas marine protected area.
The Salas y Gomez ridge is an underwater mountain chain spanning 2,900 kilometers from Chile to Easter Island. Much of it lies outside any country’s national waters.
Scientists also explored Chile’s Juan Fernandez and Nazca-Desventuradas marine parks. During the expedition, they used a deep-diving remotely operated vehicle, capable of descending to 4,500 meter depths, to gather data from ten undersea mountains. This will aid Chile’s efforts to expand marine protections.
They found each mountain hosted diverse and often fragile ecosystems, including lush deep sea coral reefs and sponge gardens. Specimens suspected to be new species are undergoing genetic analysis to confirm this.
The on-board scientists mapped over 52,000 square kilometers of seafloor. This revealed four previously unknown undersea mountains within Chilean waters. The team explored, mapped and unofficially named the tallest one, rising 3,530 meters high, as Solito.
We have far exceeded our expectations on this expedition. While you always hope to find new species in these remote, unexplored areas, the sheer number we uncovered, especially of some groups like sponges, is mind-blowing, said Dr. Sellanes.
The healthy ecosystems here clearly indicate Chile’s Nazca-Desventuradas and Juan Fernandez Marine Parks are effectively protecting these fragile marine habitats.
A second expedition along the Salas y Gomez Ridge will embark February 24th aboard the Falkor research vessel. As scientists explore areas deeper than 600 meters for the first time, dives will live-stream on Schmidt Ocean Institute’s YouTube channel. The Institute plans further Pacific exploration off Peru and Chile through 2024.
Fully identifying all the species could take many years. Dr. Sellanes’ team has an incredible number of samples from this beautiful but little-known biodiversity hotspot, said Schmidt Ocean Institute Executive Director Dr. Jyotika Virmani.
The Institute is collaborating with the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census Program, which aims to discover 100,000 new ocean species in the next decade. Once identified, these new species will become part of that global effort.
Sources
- Share on:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Human Footprints from the Bronze Age Left by People Fleeing a Vesuvian Eruption and Other Extraordinary Discoveries in Campania
During improvement works on the Diramazione Nocera-Cava dei Tirreni gas pipeline in the municipalities of Nocera Superiore, Nocera Inferiore, Roccapiemonte, and Castel San Giorgio (province of Salerno, Campania) in Italy,…
Herzgruft, the Crypt in Vienna Where the Hearts of the Habsburgs Are Preserved
Saying that the heart of the Habsburgs is in Vienna may sound like a poetic expression to embellish a historical fact, but it can be taken literally if one visits…
Analysis of Fingerprints on Figurines Recovered in Heracleion Reveals Women and Children also Made them
An archaeological study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology by Leonie Hoff analyzes the fingerprints impressed on terracotta figurines found in the ancient city of Thonis-Heracleion in Egypt (located…
The Oldest Neolithic Settlement of France’s First Farmers, Discovered on the French Riviera
Described as a rare find by the regional archaeology department, one of the oldest Neolithic settlements in France, attributed to the Early Cardial period, is currently being excavated by archaeologists…
A Large Ritual Structure Discovered in Jerusalem with 8 Rock-Cut Rooms and Mysterious V-Shaped Marks on the Floor
A remarkable archaeological find has come to light on the eastern slope of the City of David, within the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. This unique structure, spanning approximately 220…
The Incredible Wrangel Island: The Place Where Mammoths Survived Until 2000 BC
Located in the Arctic Ocean, between the Chukchi Sea and the East Siberian Sea, Wrangel Island is a 7,600 km² enclave, equivalent in size to Crete. It is part of…
How Ashurbanipal Destroyed Babylon, Whose King Was His Own Elder Brother
And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…” Revelation, 14:08 This verse from the Bible likely sounds familiar to many; it refers to the conquest of…
The Legacy of the Roman Empire in Germany: A Surprising Study Reveals How It Influences the Current Well-Being of Regions
A recent study published in Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology has shown that Roman rule, which occurred over two thousand years ago, continues to leave deep marks on…
Scientists Unravel the Origins of the Sogdians, the Enigmatic Merchants of the Silk Road
In a discovery that promises to reshape our understanding of cultural and genetic interactions along the Silk Road, an international team of researchers has unraveled the complex roots of the…
The remains found in the Octagon Tomb of Ephesus are revealed not to be Cleopatra’s sister but a 14-year-old boy
An interdisciplinary team led by anthropologist Gerhard Weber from the University of Vienna, together with experts from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, has concluded, after analyzing a skull discovered in…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
