Ocean Census Discovers 866 New Species in the Ocean

- Discover 866 new ocean species including guitar shark and deep-sea snail. Learn about Ocean Census initiative and its impact on marine protection.

Ocean Census Discovers 866 New Species in the Ocean

Ocean exploration reveals 866 new species, such as guitar shark and deep-sea snail, aiming to document 100,000 new marine species within ten years.

Initiative and Exploration

• Ambitious Ocean Census started in April 2023 to document 100,000 new marine species globally.
• Scientists use diving, underwater robots, and mini submarines to explore depths up to 4,990 meters.

New Discoveries

• A new guitar shark found off the coast of Mozambique and Tanzania, adding to the 38 known guitar shark species.
• Discovery of a tiny dwarf seahorse in the Indian Ocean off South Africa's coast, previously thought to exist only near New Zealand.
• Researchers found a deep-sea snail in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea surviving extreme acidity at 3,053 meters depth.

Impact and Future

• Speeding up species discovery and documentation to prevent extinction before scientific recognition, Ocean Census aims to protect marine ecosystems worldwide.
• Director Oliver Seeds emphasizes the importance of using newfound knowledge for marine protection, climate adaptation, and biodiversity conservation.