Published 15:31 IST, August 19th 2020
30 species of invertebrates discovered in deep water surrounding the Galapagos of Ecuador
A group of scientists have identified 30 new species of invertebrates in deep water surrounding the Galapagos Island of the Republic of Ecuador.
A group of scientists have identified 30 new species of invertebrates in deep water surrounding the Galapagos Island of the Republic of Ecuador. Galapagos Island is an Ecuadorian archipelago and is home to the world’s largest shark population.
30 species of sea creatures
According to the press release by the Galapagos National Park, four species of squat lobster, one of giant cup coral, 10 bamboo corals, three octocorals, one brittle starfish, and 11 sponges were discovered by the researchers in Galapagos Marine Reserve.
For the purpose of this research, the scientists from the Charles Darwin Foundation and Galapagos National Park collaborated. This research was conducted by a team of multidisciplinary scientists with the help of Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles (ROVs).
“These are very exciting discoveries and the result of the combined hard work of a multidisciplinary team of researchers. The deep-sea remains as earth’s last frontier and this study provides a sneak-peak into the least known communities of the Galapagos Islands. These pristine seamounts are within the Galapagos Marine Reserve and are protected from destructive human practices such as fishing with bottom trawls or deep-sea mining that are known to have catastrophic impacts upon fragile communities. Now it is our responsibility to make sure they remain pristine for the generations to come," Dr Pelayo Salinas de León, Senior Marine Scientist who led the study, said in a statement.
This expedition required the scientists to explore 3 seamounts, located around the Islands of Darwin and Wolf, which do not break the surface. During the expedition, the researchers also found various underwater communities which included habitats like crystal sponge gardens, coral gardens and cold-water coral colonies. Thes habitats were found between the depths of 290 and 373 meters and are considered as Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) by the United Nations General Assembly, according to the press release by Charles Darwin Foundation.
This research was conducted during a 10-day cruise on E / V Nautilus in 2015. It is a specialised research vehicle and can explore the ocean depth of up to 4000 meters. Argus and Hercules were the ROVs used for this expedition and helped the scientists in collecting specimens. These samples were then separated, photographed, stores and sent to deep-sea experts for further identification. The results of this research were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Updated 15:31 IST, August 19th 2020