The deep sea is known to host some creepy critters, but the carnivorous “death-ball” sponges take this creepiness to a whole new level. Unlike its typically meek, gentle brethren, this sponge lurks in the depths of the Southern Ocean—the waters surrounding Antarctica—using tiny hooks to trap its prey.
The sponge, Chondrocladia sp. nov., is just one of 30 new, esoteric species researchers confirmed from expeditions conducted at different parts of the Southern Ocean. During the research cruises, the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census, in collaboration with the Schmidt Ocean Institute and other partners, collected roughly 2,000 specimens across 14 animal groups, in addition to taking thousands of images and hours of video.
The Ocean Census released photos of these deep-sea creatures in a release published October 29. The gallery is a real treat—scroll on for a taste of the deep sea.
Iridescent worms, black corals, new sea stars
For the expeditions, researchers surveyed the waters below the South Sandwich Islands and regions near Antarctica, including a “newly exposed seabed” that appeared after a giant iceberg calved from the George VI Ice Shelf earlier this year, according to the release. It was during these trips that the team filmed the first baby colossal squid, alongside new hydrothermal vents and volcanic coral gardens.
The footage of the squid made headlines when it was first released, but as it turned out, that was just the tip of the iceberg for what the team discovered during the expeditions. For instance, they also found new armored and iridescent scale worms, unknown sea stars and isopods, and other critters that experts suspect represent entirely new species.
They also spotted some familiar creatures, such as the “zombie worms” known to feast on the carcasses of whales and large sea animals using only symbiotic bacteria. Researchers had recently flagged a concerning absence of zombie worms in other marine habitats, so their presence in the Southern Ocean is a welcome sight.
A hidden treasure trove
At the same time, the researchers noted, these discoveries reflect how much we do not know about the Southern Ocean, much less the deep sea. Planning and conducting deep-sea expeditions is no easy feat, true, but the Ocean Census’s findings easily demonstrate why they’re so important.
Surprisingly, the creatures introduced in this release represent not even 30% of the samples they collected, said Michelle Taylor, head scientist at The Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census, in the release.
“The Southern Ocean remains profoundly under-sampled,” she added. “Each confirmed species is a building block for conservation, biodiversity studies, and untold future scientific endeavors.”
Once the team concludes its taxonomical analysis of the samples, all confirmed records will be available in an open access database, the Ocean Census Biodiversity Data Platform.
