A poisonous sea serpent has reappeared, considered extinct for the past century

A very poisonous sea serpent Considered extinct by scientists, it was sighted again on April 12 in Australia, reports the local channel ABC.

It is a short-nosed sea snake (Aipysurus apraefrontalis), a rare species last detected in 1998.

The reptile was “rediscovered” at 67 meters deep on Ashmore Reef, a place where their sightings were regular until the 1970s, when their numbers declined.

The discovery was made last week by a team led by Dr Karen Miller of the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, along with scientists from the Western Australian Museum, Curtin University and the University of Western Australia.

The researchers are aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute R / V Falkor, a vessel equipped with advanced robotic technologies, and explore the mysterious depths of the mesophotic coral reef ecosystem of Ashmore Reef.

A UNIQUE EMOTION

Dr Karen Miller of AIMS said the critically endangered Short-nosed Sea Snake (Aipysurus apraefrontalis) has not been seen at Ashmore Reef since 1998 and marks the find as a “second chance. “to understand and protect this species.

“The short-nosed sea snake was thought to have been lost forever from Ashmore, so this is truly a remarkable find, the entire research vessel screamed in excitement“, He said.

“We cannot protect species that we don’t know exist; this is why this expedition is so important, we are in depths no one has explored before, gaining critical knowledge as we uncover the secrets of the deep sea of ​​Ashmore.

“We suspect that the mesophytic coral ecosystem could be of significant ecological importance and very well serve as a refuge for species lost in shallow water, such as sea snakes.”

The short-nosed sea serpent is one of the four species of sea snakes discovered during the high seas expedition, leaving 13 species still missing from the once thriving Ashmore Reef sea snake assemblage.

Dr Nerida Wilson of the Western Australian Museum, who is also aboard the R / V Falkor, said Ashmore Reef, off the north coast of Washington state, was once the richest hotspot in the world. in biodiversity for sea snakes.

MYSTERIOUSLY MISSING

“Over a period of several decades, sea snakes have mysteriously disappeared from the shallow waters of Ashmore Reef, ”he said.

“This finding shows that we have a lot more to learn about the Twilight Zone, and we hope to find more lost Ashmore sea snake species.”

The Anastasi White Sea Snake scientist, who has uncovered critical information on Western Australian sea snakes, said research suggests the new coastal populations may even represent a separate species.

“The rediscovery of the short-nosed sea serpent at Ashmore Reef raises big questions,” he said.

“Are they part of a breeding population that has gone undetected, or are they just lagging individuals who remain after the shallow water has gone extinct?” Are these snakes a different species from the coastal species? Can we take steps to protect them?

“I hope this expedition uncovers more secrets about sea snakes – this gives us a tremendous opportunity to use science to inform the protection of these snakes.

A UNIQUE MARINE PARK

Ashmore Reef Marine Park is managed by Parks Australia as a sanctuary area and has the highest level of marine protection in Australia, where no extractive activity is permitted.

Jennifer Hoy, Marine Parks Manager at Parks Australia, said the Australian Marine Parks Directorate was excited about the recent discovery of sea snakes in the heart of Ashmore Reef.

“This is particularly exciting because Ashmore Reef Marine Park is one of Australia’s most remote marine parks, making it difficult for researchers to access and monitor and study the species,” he said. declared.

The R / V Falkor is equipped with advanced robotic diving technologies, including the underwater vehicle Remote-controlled SuBastian, which allowed the team to explore these remarkable new territories.

Source: Australian Institute of Marine Sciences.

GML