Discoveries unveil hidden depths off Chile's coast

During an expedition near the coast of Chile, scientists discovered an underwater mountain and 20 potentially new species. This was part of an expedition led by the Schmidt Ocean Institute.

In addition to the underwater mountain, scientists discovered 20 potentially new species. Among these discoveries was Bathyphysa conifera, also known as the "flying spaghetti monster".

This creature is a siphonophore, a relative of the "long stringy thing," the longest creature ever seen. Additionally, they observed the octopus known as Casper, first identified in 2016 but has not yet been described or formally named due to a lack of study.

During the expedition, scientists made the first-ever observation of a live squid from the genus Promachoteuthis. Until now, this squid was known only from dead specimens dating back to the 19th century. During the recent expedition, scientists had the opportunity to see the animal alive in its natural habitat for the first time.

Over the 28-day expedition, 10 underwater mountains in the international waters of the Nazca Ridge were studied. In addition to representatives from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, participants included people from Ocean Census and the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire.

Professor Alex David Rogers from Ocean Census told iflscience.com that the underwater mountains of the southeastern Pacific are areas of high biodiversity. Thanks to the expedition, scientists hope to advance their understanding of the distribution of various forms of life.

During the research, a new underwater mountain with a height of 10,200 feet was discovered. Within it exists a deep-sea ecosystem. One notable discovery within this mountain was a coral garden covering an area equal to three tennis courts. On the ten studied mountains, 20 potentially new species were identified.

Tomer Ketter, co-science lead and marine technician at the Schmidt Ocean Institute, emphasized that the studied ecosystems are highly biodiverse, with many gaps in the understanding of interspecies relationships. He also expressed hope that the collected data will help protect these environments for future generations.