In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have found 866 previously unknown marine species.
According to CNN, as part of efforts to document marine life, researchers have discovered 866 new deep-sea species, including a guitar-shaped shark, a fan-like coral, and a venomous deep-sea snail with harpoon-like teeth.
Ocean Census, a global alliance to protect sea life in a first major update since its launch in 2023, announced the breakthrough discovery this week and said that they have found these new species during 10 ocean expeditions with the help of divers, piloted submersibles, and remotely operated vehicles.
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Ocean Census researchers also found a marine mollusc with a conical shell, a sea star in polar waters at a depth of 10,000 feet (3,053 meters), Turridrupa magnifica, and others.
Michelle Taylor, a coral expert and a principal investigator at Ocean Census, explained that the 10-year project aims to fill the gaps in scientists’ knowledge about ocean depths.
She told CNN, “Probably only 10% of marine species have been discovered. And for the species that have been discovered … with Ocean Census, it’s across such a wide variety of taxa, so everything from sharks to pipefish to gastropods (such as snails) to my own beautiful, little corals.”
Moreover, the new species were found at the depths of 3 feet (1 meter) to 3.1 miles (4,990 meters) underwater while a team of over 800 scientists from around 400 institutions who were involved with the Ocean Census Science Network studied and analysed the discoveries.
Taylor was optimistic that they would find more new discoveries during the expedition as they aimed to identify 100,000 new species over 10 years.
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