Much
of
the
ocean’s
life
remains
a
mystery
to
us,
but
an
international
team
of
scientists
has
just
filled
in
a
few
blanks
after
a
40-day
expedition to
the
Salas
y
Gómez
Ridge.
The
ridge
is
a
lengthy
corridor
filled
with
over
100
underwater
mountains
that
extends
from
Chile
to
Rapa
Nui,
more
commonly
known
as
Easter
Island.
This
month,
the
researchers
announced
their
early
findings.
The
region
contains
a
rich
biodiversity
of
marine
and
deep
sea
species
and
is
important
to
the
migration
of
whales,
sea
turtles,
and
various
fish.
The
team
was
led
by
Erin
Easton
of
the
University
of
Texas
Rio
Grande
Valley
and
Javier
Sellanes
of
the
Catholic
University
of
the
North
in
Chile;
it
also
included
scientists
from
Italy,
Spain,
and
the
Netherlands.
To
explore
the
ridge,
the
team
used
the
Schmidt
Ocean
Institute’s
research
vessel Falkor
(too).
The
team
observed
160
species
that
hadn’t
been
known
to
live
in
the
ridge,
with
at
least
50
of
these
species
possibly
being
entirely
new
to
science
until
now.
One
of
these
discoveries
includes
the
deepest
example
of
a
photosynthesizing
coral
ever
seen.
This
research
will
not
only
improve
our
understanding
of
the
life
teeming
under
the
sea
but
could
inform
conservation
efforts,
since
the
region
is
currently
being
considered
for
special
environmental
protection.
“The
observation
of
distinct
ecosystems
on
individual
seamounts
highlights
the
importance
of
protecting
the
entire
ridge,
not
just
a
few
seamounts,”
said
Easton
in
a
statement
from
the
Schmidt
Ocean
Institute.
“We
hope
the
data
collected
from
this
expedition
will
help
establish
new
marine
protected
areas,
including
on
the
high
seas
on
the
Salas
y
Gómez
Ridge.”
Here
are
some
of
the
fantastic
images
captured
during
the
expedition.
This
otherworldly
entity
is
a
galaxy
siphonophore,
found
on
the
northern
flank
of
Motu
Motiro
Hiva,
an
uninhabited
island
along
the
Salas
y
Gómez
Ridge.
These
marine
animals
are
related
to
jellyfish
and
are
composed
of
individual
clones
banding
together
as
a
colony.
This
coral
belongs
to
the
big,
diverse
family
of
soft
corals
known
as
Primnoidae.
Other
animals,
including
hermit
crabs
and
squat
lobsters,
can
be
seen
hanging
out
on
the
coral.
This
photo
was
taken
in
a
transect
on
the
western
side
of
the
seamount
Moai,
about
16
miles
west
of
Rapa
Nui.
This
many-legged
celestial
body
is
a
member
of
a
genus
of
starfish
known
as
Coronaster.
It
was
found
in
a
transect
on
the
southwestern
flank
of
Rapa
Nui.
This
spiny
fellow
belongs
to
a
genus
of
sea
urchins
known
as
Diadema,
which
are
commonly
found
in
tropical
waters.
It
was
discovered
on
the
northern
flank
of
Motu
Motiro
Hiva.
This
is
one
of
the
many
discoveries
made
by
the
research
expedition.
This
coral
is
now
thought
to
be
the
deepest
photosynthesizing
coral
ever
documented.
It’s
a
member
of
the
genus
Leptoseris
and
was
found
on
the
northern
flank
of
Motu
Motiro
Hiva.
Don’t
let
the
luminesce
fool
you:
this
dragonfish
is
actually
one
of
the
fiercest
apex
predators
in
the
deep
sea.
Dragonfish
are
members
of
the
family
Stomiidae,
and
they’re
equipped
with
massive
jaws
that
contain
incredibly
sharp
and
transparent
teeth.
They’re
also
adept
ambushers,
often
able
to
snatch
up
their
prey
without
being
noticed.
This
particular
specimen
was
found
on
the
southeastern
flank
of
a
still
unexplored
and
unnamed
seamount
located
near
Chile.
A
member
of
the
Chaunax
genus,
commonly
known
as
sea
toads.
Despite
the
nickname,
sea
toads
are
actually
anglerfish.
This
particularly
colorful
specimen
was
found
off
the
southwestern
flank
of
Rapa
Nui.
This
semi-transparent
octopus
was
found
on
the
southeastern
flank
of
an
unexplored
and
unnamed
seamount
located
east
of
Motu
Motiro
Hiva.
These
fish
were
found
along
a
transect
on
the
summit
of
the
seamount
Pukao,
about
50
miles
west
of
Rapa
Nui.
It’s
possible
that
these
are
a
mix
of
two
known
fish
species,
Sargocentron
wilhelmi
(a
species
of
squirrelfish) and
Pristilepsis
oligolepis
(a
species
of
soldierfish).
This
little
guy
is
an
unidentified
hydroid
found
on
northern
flank
of
Rapa
Nui.
Hydroids
are
small
predators
related
to
jellyfish
that
are
often
colonial,
meaning
they’re
made
of
many
individual
organisms
joined
together.
The
crustacean
in
the
middle
of
this
coral
garden
is
an
example
of
squat
lobster.
The
name
is
a
bit
of
a
misnomer,
however,
since
squat
lobsters
are
not
true
lobsters
and
are
more
closely
related
to
other
crustacean
groups
such
as
hermit
crabs.
This
squatter
was
found
along
a
transect
located
on
the
southwestern
flank
of
Rapa
Nui.
This
mass
of
sea
noodles
is
an
example
of
a
Bathyphysa
siphonophore,
belonging
to
the
family
Rhizophysidae.
These
creatures
have
often
been
likened
to
the
flying
spaghetti
monster,
the
satirical
god
of
Pastafarianism.
It
was
found
on
the
eastern
flank
of
an
unexplored
and
unregistered
seamount
within
the
borders
of
Chile.
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