Coral forests and amazing creatures
Coral forests, groups of sea urchins with spines like a cactus or sponge gardens. These are just some of the most shocking images that deep-sea explorers are looking for (and finding) off the coast of Chile. It is believed that 100 new species completely unknown until now could have been found. The credit, however, goes to a robot that has dared to descend to the deepest depths yet explored.
Marine biodiversity and ocean protections
The sea and the oceans are still great unknowns, especially in their depths. For the researchers, however, this is new proof that the ocean protections that the Chilean government has instituted work to strengthen biodiversity. A fact that could be applied by other countries to preserve species and the seabed.
Discovery of new marine species
These new species are difficult to find because the robot that managed to capture them had to descend up to 4,270 kilometers. As the Washington Post points out, researchers argue that this biodiversity lies in part thanks to the hydrothermal vents and the geologically active region. After analyzing the animals’ body structure and genes in a ground laboratory, scientists will be able to determine whether these creatures are truly new species.
A great find for science
The journey through the seamounts that stretch from the coast of South America to Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, was a big prize for the sea sponges, said Javier Sellanes, a scientist at the Universitat Catòlica del Nord that led the research, and collects the same publication. “Previously, only two species had been adequately reported for the area and now we found around 40 different species.”
A wealth of marine life
Among the marine life potentially new to science are ghostly white sponges and lobsters with glowing eyes and spiny legs, as well as corals, urchins, starfish and sea lilies. The team explored two marine parks, Juan Fernández and Nazca-Desventuradas, where Chile has restricted fishing. But they also looked for areas outside the country’s national waters, a part of the ocean called the high seas where no government has jurisdiction.
A fascinating video
The video, in this case from ABC 7 Chicago, is hypnotic. For fans of seeing the seabed and curious in general or explorers in particular, it seems a good way to see colors, different biodiversity, and why not say it, to find silence and beauty in the same image.
