Researchers have identified thirty-eight novel species of marine life dwelling in the deep ocean near the coast of Japan, as announced by participants of an international scientific mission on the organization’s official web portal.
Reported by RIA Novosti.
The research endeavors were conducted aboard the scientific vessel Yokosuka. To facilitate the exploration, scientists employed the crewed deep-sea submersible Shinkai 6500, enabling descents to considerable depths. Throughout the duration of the mission, investigators retrieved over 528 specimens of various marine life forms from the ocean floor.
One of the most remarkable findings pertains to a glass sponge—a deep-sea creature whose internal structure is composed of silica, akin to glass. Within this particular sponge, scientists uncovered two previously undescribed species of polychaete worms. These have been christened Dalhousiella yabukii and Leocratides watanabeae. Both types have adapted to reside within the sponge’s body.
The sponge itself might also represent a species new to science, yet to be formally named. Such sponges generate an intricate framework from siliceous spicules, resulting in a delicate, glass-like architecture. This “skeleton” offers protection from predation and can persist even long after the sponge perishes.
The discovered fauna encompassed 33 varieties of mollusks, 23 types of annelid worms, 11 classes of arthropods, five phyla of nemerteans, four divisions of echinoderms, three groups of cnidarians, and one category of bryozoans.
The expedition yielded fruitful results in the region of the Sityo underwater mountain range as well. There, investigators located coral assemblages, dense aggregations of sponges, and five newly identified species of galatheids—deep-sea crustaceans that bear a superficial resemblance to diminutive lobsters.
In total, this single expedition confirmed the existence of 38 previously unknown species. An additional 28 organisms are currently considered candidates for new species status, awaiting formal designation and scientific classification.
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