High levels of biodiversity found in the deep ocean

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The ANDEEP sampling project in the Southern Ocean has revealed "unknowable" numbers of species living kilometres beneath the surface

16 May 2007

The Ceratoserolis, a crustacean, was one of the species brought back by the ANDEEP project
(Image: Wiebke Br枚keland/DZMB)

The team discovered 585 new species, including the first species of Epimeriidae to be found living in the deep sea
(Image: British Antarctic Survey)

The carnivorous moonsnail can detect food from a great distance; the polyps that cover its shell hitch a ride to reach their food
(Image: British Antarctic Survey)

Despite living in the dark, deep sea, this new species of mollusc has developed eyes; its shell is protected by a cloak of tissue
(Image: British Antarctic Survey)

鈥淎stonishingly high and unexpected鈥� 鈥� that鈥檚 how Angelika Brandt from the Zoological Museum Hamburg, Germany, describes levels of biodiversity she and colleagues have discovered in the depths of the Southern Ocean.

The ANDEEP (Antarctic benthic deep-sea biodiversity) project, sampling down to 6348 metres, discovered 585 new species of crustacean.

Echoing former US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the Census of Marine Life has produced 鈥淜UU鈥� assessments on what is known, unknown, or unknowable. 鈥淭he number of species out there are certainly unknowable, due to the fact that many are rare and that the Southern Ocean deep sea is vast,鈥� Brandt says.

Journal reference: Nature (vol 447, p 307)

Topics: Oceans

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