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An subaquatic mountain chain off Rapa Nui , also know as Easter Island , host an " astonishing " regalia of bass - sea mintage , at least 50 of which are new to science , researchers report .
About 2,600 to 4,000 feet ( 800 to 1,200 meter ) below the southeastern Pacific waves , researchers on a Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition spotted the deepestphotosynthesis - dependent brute ever chance — aLeptoseris , or wrinkle red coral , which was already jazz to science . Other jaw - dropping sights included a jellyfish - like critter known as a fly spaghetti monster ( Bathyphysa conifera ) and a luminescent inscrutable - ocean dragonfish from the household Stomiidae . Both these puppet , along with more than 100 other species , have previously been describe by scientist but had never been spot in this realm before . Another 50 specimens , which have yet to be analyze , are retrieve to be newfound species .
A Bathyphysa siphonophore, or flying spaghetti monster, spotted near an unexplored and unregistered seamount off the coast of Chile.
The excursion followed another Schmidt Ocean Institute research sail in January that uncoveredmore than 100 suspected newfound speciesand a mammoth seamount off the seacoast of Chile . " The amazing home ground and animal communities that we have unveil during these two expeditions be a striking example of how little we have sex about this remote area,“Javier Sellanes , a professor of nautical biology at the Catholic University of the North in Chile , who co - precede both expeditions , tell in astatement .
While the January expeditiousness mostly focused on the Nazca and Juan Fernández ridge , the new voyage document marine life on the Salas y Gómez Ridge — an underwater mickle compass thatextends 1,000 mile ( 1,600 kilometers)from the Nazca Ridge to Rapa Nui .
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A deep-sea octopus spotted near a previously unexplored and unnamed seamount off the coast of Chile.(Image credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute)
Sellanes and his colleagues crisscrossed the ridge for 40 daytime in February and March aboard Schmidt Ocean ’s Falkor ( too ) inquiry vessel . During the expedition , the squad analyze 10 seamount , which are submerged stack that towerat least 3,300 feet ( 1,000 m)above the surrounding seafloor . Six of these had not been documented by scientific surveys before , and each seamount harbored its own unique ecosystem , according to the financial statement .
" The watching of discrete ecosystems on individual seamounts spotlight the importance of protecting the intact ridge , not just a few seamounts,“Erin E. Easton , an assistant professor of marine science at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and master scientist at the Schmidt Ocean Institute , say in the statement . " We hope the data point collected from this jaunt will help plant novel marine protect area . "
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A deep-sea dragonfish spotted along the Salas y Gómez Ridge off the coast of Chile.(Image credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute)
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The researchers explored waters around Rapa Nui with the help of local community members .
A Chaunax (genus of bony fish in the sea toad family) photographed off Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island.(Image credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute)
" The importance of enter in an oceanographic scientific dispatch for Rapa Nui lies in the chance to have a go at it and easily sympathize the marine surround surround the island,“Marcela Hey Aravena , a fellow member of the Rapa Nui Sea Council and a Schmidt Ocean Institute percipient , said in the argument . " innate resource , unknown shipboard soldier species , and climate phenomenon that forthwith touch on the community can be see through enquiry and exploration . "
Paramuricea corals with hermit crabs and squat lobsters hanging off it photographed west of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island.(Image credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute)
A Coronaster sea star photographed to the southwest of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island.(Image credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute)
A Leptoseris coral, the deepest photosynthesis-dependent animal ever recorded, spotted near the uninhabited island of Motu Motiro Hiva.(Image credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute)
A galaxy siphonophore photographed off the uninhabited island of Motu Motiro Hiva in the southeastern Pacific.(Image credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute)
