'Death ball' sponge among 30 new deep-sea species discovered
Scientists exploring the Southern Ocean just uncovered 30 new deep-sea species, including a carnivorous sponge nicknamed the "death ball" that catches prey with tiny hooks—pretty different from your average filter-feeding sponge.
The team, led by Dr. Michelle Taylor as part of the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, also found armored scale worms, new sea stars, and rare crustaceans near volcanic islands.
Juvenile colossal squid footage captured for the 1st time
This trip even captured the first-ever footage of a juvenile colossal squid in its natural habitat.
With only 30% of samples examined so far, researchers say there's way more to discover—including possible new black corals and a potential new sea pen genus.
As Dr. Taylor notes, they have only scratched the surface of what is down there.
The Southern Ocean is turning out to be full of surprises!