‘Demise ball’ sponge amongst 30 new Ocean Census species discoveries

Thirty beforehand unknown deep-sea species – together with a carnivorous ‘death-ball’ sponge – have been confirmed from some of the distant areas of the planet throughout latest Southern Ocean expeditions performed by the Schmidt Ocean Institute as a part of the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census.

The discoveries have been verified through the Southern Ocean Species Discovery Workshop, held at Universidad de Magallanes in Punta Arenas, Chile, in August 2025.

Among the brand new finds is Chondrocladia sp. nov., a spherical predatory sponge coated in tiny hooks used to lure prey, in stark distinction to the mild filter-feeding behaviour typical of most sponges. Other uncommon organisms recorded included ‘zombie worms’ (Osedax sp.), which digest the bones of whales with the assistance of symbiotic micro organism.

Expeditions aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s analysis vessel Falkor (too) surveyed volcanic calderas, the South Sandwich Trench and seafloor habitats round Montagu and Saunders Islands. Using the remotely operated automobile SuBastian, scientists collected almost 2,000 specimens throughout 14 animal teams, along with 1000’s of pictures and hours of video.

The analysis additionally revealed new hydrothermal vents at round 700 metres, coral gardens, indicators of explosive undersea volcanism and what’s believed to be the primary confirmed footage of a juvenile colossal squid.

Three Ocean Census researchers additionally joined a separate cruise to the Bellingshausen Sea, the place the staff grew to become the primary to discover the seabed uncovered after iceberg A-84 – roughly 510 sq km in dimension – broke away from the George VI Ice Shelf in January 2025.

‘The Southern Ocean remains profoundly under-sampled,’ stated Dr Michelle Taylor, Head of Science at The Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census. ‘We’ve assessed lower than 30 per cent of the samples from this expedition, so confirming 30 new species already reveals how a lot biodiversity continues to be undocumented.’

Other finds embody new armoured and iridescent scale worms, sea stars from a number of households, crustaceans, gastropods, and bivalves tailored to volcanic and hydrothermal habitats. Further materials is beneath assessment which will embody a brand new amphipod household, black corals and a possible new genus of sea pen.

‘Advanced tools – from precise seafloor mapping to high-definition ROV imagery – are allowing us to explore places never seen before by humans,’ stated Dr Jyotika Virmani, Executive Director of Schmidt Ocean Institute.

The Southern Ocean Species Discovery Workshop introduced collectively taxonomists from all over the world to confirm specimens via imaging and DNA barcoding, fast-tracking a course of that may typically take years.

‘Each confirmed species is a building block for conservation and future research,’ added Dr Taylor. ‘This is exactly why Ocean Census exists – accelerating the discovery of ocean life and making it openly available.’

All verified information assembly Ocean Census standards might be added to the open-access Ocean Census Biodiversity Data Platform.

Related articles