During an international expedition off the coast of Brazil, researchers uncovered 31 previously unknown species. These organisms reside in the largely unexplored mesopelagic zone, situated between the sunlit surface waters and the profound depths of the ocean. The research took place aboard the vessel Falkor (too), which is affiliated with the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Among the discoveries, scientists identified transparent polychaete worms belonging to the genus Tomopteris, ctenophores with iridescent appendages, and giant single-celled rhizarians that are visible to the naked eye. At a depth of 552 meters, siphonophores – unique colonial animals composed of numerous specialized organisms – were recorded. Furthermore, at a depth of 2,624 meters, equipment captured footage of a female octopus of the species Haliphron atlanticus consuming a jellyfish.
The project’s lead, Karen Osborn, a zoologist from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, emphasized that the ocean’s midwater layers remain one of the planet’s most poorly understood ecosystems. Given that many deep-sea creatures possess soft bodies that disintegrate during conventional sampling methods, the researchers employed the remotely operated vehicle SuBastian, equipped with non-contact scanning systems.
A significant accomplishment of the expedition was the deployment of the Squid underwater microscope, developed at Stanford University. This innovative tool enabled specialists to obtain, for the first time, a three-dimensional image of the cellular structure of a living microorganism directly within its marine habitat.
Joanna Wirzman, Executive Director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, commented that the integration of such technological advancements in the future will empower marine biologists to explore the underwater world through virtual reality technologies.
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