AssetID: 54090672
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Rarely Seen And New Species Filmed On Newly Discovered 'Sea Mountain'
Caption: A team of oceanographers, led by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, filmed a host of rarely seen marine species by mapping a new seamount, or ‘underwater mountain’ on the Nazca Ridge, 900 miles off the coast of Chile. This discovery is one of many made during a 28-day expedition to the Nazca Ridge, led by the Schmidt Ocean Institute in collaboration with Ocean Census and the Centre for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center at the University of New Hampshire. The newly discovered seamount rises over 3,109 metres (1.9 miles) from the seabed and supports a thriving deep-sea ecosystem. The team not only mapped the seamount but also conducted an exploratory dive using an underwater robot on one of the mountain’s ridges, where they discovered sponge gardens and ancient corals. One of these mountains hosts a pristine coral garden, consisting of deep-sea corals that provide habitat for a variety of organisms, including rockfish, brittle stars, and king crabs. This coral garden spans an area of roughly 800 square metres, approximately the size of three tennis courts. Beyond mapping seamounts in high resolution and conducting ROV surveys, the team also captured the first-ever camera footage of a live Promachoteuthis squid. This genus is so rare that only three species have been described, based on a few specimens, several of which were collected in the late 1800s. Until now, the squid genus had only been characterised from dead samples found in nets. The team also documented a Casper octopus, marking the first time this species has been observed in the Southern Pacific, along with two rare Bathyphysa siphonophores, commonly referred to as “flying spaghetti monsters.” “Upon concluding our third expedition to the region, we’ve explored around 25 seamounts on the Nazca and Salas y Gómez Ridges,” said Co-Chief Scientist and Schmidt Ocean Institute Marine Technician, Tomer Ketter. “Our findings highlight the remarkable diversity of these ecosystems, while simultaneously revealing the gaps in our understanding of how the seamount ecosystems are interconnected. We hope the data gathered from these expeditions will help inform future policies, safeguarding these pristine environments for future generations.” This expedition marks the third exploration this year of the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges, conducted on the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too). The two previous expeditions in January and February documented over 150 previously unknown species and numerous range extensions for animals not previously known to inhabit the ridge. During this latest expedition, an additional 20 suspected new species were collected. Before the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s expeditions this year, 1,019 species were known to inhabit this region of the Pacific Ocean. That number has now surpassed 1,300 and continues to grow. The records from these expeditions will be submitted to Ocean Census, an international, collaborative alliance led by the Nippon Foundation and Nekton, aimed at accelerating the discovery and protection of ocean life. “The seamounts of the Southeastern Pacific host remarkable biological diversity, with species found nowhere else to date,” said Professor Alex David Rogers, Science Director of Ocean Census. “The work our taxonomists have conducted aboard Falkor (too), supported by the Schmidt Ocean Institute team, will significantly enhance our understanding of the distribution of remarkable life forms on these underwater mountains, including several that have never before been mapped or seen by human eyes.”
Keywords: feature,photo,video,octopus,fish,nature,oceans,sea,squid
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