Scientists find new deep sea species in seas off Java
- Published
Scientists from Singapore and Indonesia discovered more than a dozen new species -including this small orange crab - in a study of previously unexplored deep seas around the Indonesian island of Java
The team of 31 researchers and staff of the South Java Deep Sea Biodiversity Expedition (SJADES) collected more than 12,000 creatures during their expedition - including this as-yet unnamed crab is another new species found
Off south-western Java, the team also discovered this "clinger" species of crab, with several found hanging onto sea lilies
In total, 800 different species of prawns, fish, sponges and molluscs were pulled up from the deep seas, including this 6cm (2.3in) ice cream cone worm.
The team set sail from Jakarta in late March, dredging up creatures like this sea cucumber - which can swim from place to place using the protrusions behind its mouth.
Initially slowed by a stormy start, thanks to the after-effects of Cyclone Marcus, they also found animals like this cock-eyed squid, which has one eye larger than the other...
...Thaumastocheles Massonktenos, nicknamed the chain-saw lobster, a blind deep-sea creature...
...and this sea sponge, commonly named the Sea Tulip, which is anchored to the sea bed by long fibres.
Researchers also pulled this octopus up from the depths, nicknamed the Dumbo Octopus after the Disney elephant.
"It has been singularly exciting," says Professor Peter Ng of the National University of Singapore. Fellow researcher Professor Dwi Listyo Rahayu of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences called the new finds like this crab "overwhelming" - with hopes of more discoveries in the second half of the expedition.
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