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Update
December 19, 2018 12:40:30
An "underwater garden" with more than 100 species of unidentified corals, lobsters and molluscs has been discovered in the submarine mountains of southern Tasmania.
Scientists aboard the research vessel CSIRO Investigator explored the Tasmanian group of dorsal skies known as seamounts in Australian marine parks Tasman Fracture and Huon.
The researchers studied 45 seamounts using a new technology to study rocky habitats.
Nic Bax, of the Marine Biodiversity Center at the University of Tasmania, said that there were more than 100 seamounts in the region.
"People often say that we know more about the surface of the moon than the deep sea," said Professor Bax.
"Some of these pieces have never been seen before and people might never see her again."
Chief Travel Scientist Alan Williams of CSIRO said the researchers had used a high-tech camera system two meters above the seabed at depths of almost two kilometers.
"We have collected a huge body of data on animals living in seamounts, how their communities evolve with depth and have a much more complete picture of what lives in habitats adjacent to seamounts," he said. he declared.
"Our detailed sampling concerned seamounts previously affected by bottom fishing, but protected for more than 20 years.
"Although we found no evidence that coral communities were recovering, there were signs that some individual species of corals, lovebirds and sea urchins have re-established their base."
The deep-towed camera revealed dense coral reefs and marine life including bioluminescent squids, ghost sharks, deep-sea sharks, rays, orange hordes, halos, and basketry eels.
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Collection Manager Kirrily Moore said she had the honor of naming a new species of Tasmanian coral.
"Previously, it had not been noticed anywhere else in the world, we saw it here and collected it, and I was lucky enough to give it a name," he said. she said.
"We call it purple coral.This is a soft coral, which means it's part of a different group of coral that you would see in a tropical reef." . "
Ms. Moore stated that there was a process for naming a new species.
"It's an art that dies, a science that is dying," she said.
"If you are sure that it does not have a name yet, you need to take a picture, describe it and publish it officially in a newspaper.
"There are not too many rules on names that you can use, but it's frowned upon to name it after yourself."
Topics:
Marine biology,
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First posted
December 19, 2018 12:05:18
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