Researchers have discovered a whole new evolutionary branch on the deep-sea floor, having found an entirely new superfamily, and 24 new deep-sea species on the central Pacific’s seafloor.
These amphipod creatures – small crustaceans – were found on the seabed, in the Clarion Clipperton Zone. Their formal identification was published today in the scientific journal ZooKeys.
While thousands of new species are named every year, a new superfamily suggests a fundamental gap in our previous understanding of how certain creatures evolved and diversified in the deep ocean.
Alongside identifying a new family and superfamily, scientists also discovered certain amphipods were living much deeper than previously thought possible.
Scientists also discovered the first molecular barcodes, or DNA “fingerprint” for these rare species – expanding our knowledge of the creatures, and meaning their presence is able to be monitored much more easily
Led by Dr Anna Jażdżewska from the University of Lodz and Tammy Horton, National Oceanography Centre, 16 experts and early-career scientists came together for a week-long workshop dedicated to describing new amphipod species from the CCZ.
