Scientists Discover 57 New Marine Species in South Atlantic, Enhancing Biodiversity Knowledge
During a two-week International Species Discovery Workshop, scientists identified 57 new marine species and five new genera in the South Atlantic Ocean. The workshop, led by the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census in partnership with the Schmidt Ocean Institute, brought together 20 taxonomists and early-career researchers from Latin America and Europe. The team utilized remotely operated vehicles and integrated taxonomic techniques to identify specimens, logging their discoveries onto Ocean Census NOVA, an open-access data platform for newly discovered marine species. Among the significant findings was Loki the sea cucumber, a deep-sea echinoderm named for its horned appendages. The discoveries also included 20 new species of copepods, 22 echinoderms (including sea cucumbers and crinoids), 14 cnidarians (octocorals, sea pens, and stony corals), and one scaphopod mollusk. Five new scientific genera were also identified across corals, sea cucumbers, and crustaceans.
