100 Possible New Species Were Found Off The Coast Of Chile.

Scientists from around the world think they may have found more than 100 new kinds of marine life living on seamounts in the southeast Pacific, near Chile.

Schmidt Ocean Institute recently went on an expedition that found many deep-sea corals, glass sponges, sea urchins, amphipods, squat lobsters, and other species that are likely new to science. And there will likely be more to find because a second expedition starts today (February 24).

Guided by Dr. Javier Sellanes from the Universidad Católica del Norte in Chile, the group aimed to gather information to advocate for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in international waters. Utilizing the research ship Falkor and the ROV SuBastian, capable of operating at depths of 4.5 kilometres, they explored 10 underwater mountains located along the Nazca and Salas y Gómez Ridge, spanning areas both within and beyond Chile’s territorial limits.

The Salas y Gómez Ridge is an extensive underwater mountain range, extending over 2,900 kilometres and featuring over 200 seamounts. It spans from the coast of Chile to Easter Island (Rapa Nui), predominantly situated outside Chilean territorial waters. Additionally, the research team conducted explorations within two of Chile’s established Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): the Juan Fernandez and Nazca-Desventuradas marine parks.

The exploration revealed that each of the 10 seamounts harboured unique ecosystems, with many characterized as fragile and encompassing flourishing deep-sea coral reefs and sponge gardens. The physical and genetic characteristics of the collected specimens, which are believed to be previously unknown to science, are currently under analysis.

During the extensive mapping of 52,777 square kilometres of the ocean floor, four seamounts within Chilean waters were identified. The largest of these, standing at 3,530 meters and informally named Solito, was charted and explored for the first time.

“We surpassed our expectations on this expedition,” Sellanes remarked. “While we always anticipate discovering new species in these remote and underexplored regions, the sheer abundance we encountered, particularly among certain groups like sponges, is astonishing.”

“These thriving and healthy ecosystems indicate that the Nazca-Desventuradas and Juan Fernández marine parks effectively protect delicate marine habitats.”

The upcoming second expedition along the Salas y Gomez Ridge, starting today, will feature live streams of its dives on the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s YouTube channel. This expedition marks the first exploration of areas deeper than 600 meters. The institute plans to sustain its exploration of the Pacific waters off the coasts of Chile and Peru throughout the year.

“Full species identification can take many years, and Dr Sellanas and his team have an incredible number of samples from this amazingly beautiful and little-known biodiversity hotspot,” commented Schmidt Ocean Institute executive director Dr Jyotika Virmani.

“Schmidt Ocean Institute is a partner with the Nippon Foundation – Nekton Ocean Census Program, which has set a target of finding 100,000 new marine species in the next ten years and, once identified, these new species will be a part of that.”

The Schmidt Ocean Institute, founded in 2009 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, is also represented on the expedition teams. Additionally, participating institutions include the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Universidad de Valparaíso, CIIMAR (University of Porto), and the University of Western Australia.

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