A coral resembling an antique feather pen anchored to the seafloor. A sponge that traps prey like underwater Velcro. A tiny worm living inside a fragile “glass castle” made of silica. These are just a few of the 1,121 previously unknown marine species discovered over the past year by the Ocean Census.
Launched by the Nippon Foundation and Nekton, the Ocean Census was created to speed up one of science’s slowest processes, identifying life in the ocean before it vanishes. Over the past year, researchers carried out 13 expeditions ranging from shallow Mediterranean sea caves to depths exceeding 21,500 feet (6,575 meters). The effort increased the global rate of marine species discovery by 54 percent and underscores how little of the ocean has actually been cataloged, with researchers estimating that up to 90 percent of marine species may still be unknown.
“With many species at risk of disappearing before they are even documented, we are in a race against time to understand and protect ocean life,” said Michelle Taylor, the head of science at Ocean Census, in a press release.
Read More: 24 Newly Discovered Species Reveal a New Branch of Life Hidden in the Deep Sea
Ocean Census Discovers New Marine Species Including a “Ghost Shark”
One newly identified species belongs to the group commonly known as “ghost sharks.” Called chimaeras, these deep-sea fish split from sharks and rays nearly 400 million years ago. The species was found in Australia’s Coral Sea Marine Park.
‘Ghost Shark’ Chimaera (Chimaera sp.1)
(Image Courtesy of The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census/CSIRO)
Near volcanic seamounts in Japan, researchers found a new species of bristle worm living inside the translucent silica skeleton of a glass sponge 2,624 feet (nearly 800 meters) deep.
Researchers working near the South Sandwich Islands also identified a carnivorous sponge living more than 11,800 feet (3,600 meters) underwater. Unlike most sponges, this species traps crustaceans using microscopic hook-like structures before digesting them. Researchers nicknamed it the “death ball.”
Marine Discoveries Are Still Happening Close to Shore
Ribbon worm (Drepanophoridae sp.)
(Image Courtesy of The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census/Gustav Paulay)
Not every discovery came from the deep sea. In a cave near Marseille, France, a team found an orange-striped shrimp living just 50 feet to 115 feet (15 meters to 35 meters) below the surface, showing discoveries are still happening close to shore.
In Timor-Leste, brightly colored ribbon worms less than 1.2 inches (3 centimeters) long were identified. Compounds from related ribbon worms have already attracted interest in Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia research.
“This year, the Ocean Census has shown what is possible when ambition, partnership, and science come together...More than a thousand new marine species discovered in a single year is not just a scientific achievement — it is a reminder of how much there still is to know,” said Mitsuyuku Unno, executive director of The Nippon Foundation, in the press release.
Most Ocean Life May Still Be Unknown
Sea cave shrimp (Caridion sp.1)
(Image Courtesy of The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census/Hossein Ashrafi)
According to the Ocean Census, the average gap between collecting a specimen and formally describing it in scientific literature is about 13.5 years — enough time for some organisms to decline before researchers fully understand what they are.
The initiative recently introduced a new open-access platform called NOVA, allowing species discoveries to be digitally recorded and shared within days or weeks instead of years. More than 1,400 scientists from 85 countries now contribute to the effort.
Even with the ocean covering more than 70 percent of Earth’s surface, large parts of it remain biologically unexplored.
“We spend billions searching for life on Mars or going to the dark side of the moon. Discovering the majority of life on our own planet — in our own ocean — costs a fraction of that. The question is not whether we can afford to do this. It is whether we can afford not to,” said Oliver Steeds, Director of the Ocean Census.
Read More: Carnivorous Death-Ball Sponge and Other New Species Have Been Found in the Deep Sea
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
- This article includes information from Ocean Census: PRESS RELEASE: Scientists discover over 1,100 new marine species in landmark Ocean Census
- This article includes information from Ocean Census: The Ocean Census Year 3 Impact Report
- This article includes information from Ocean Census: Ocean Census NOVA
