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More than 80% of the Earth's oceans are still unexplored. But researchers like Alan Jamieson and Thomas Linley are working to change that.
By joining an expedition in the Atacama Trench, scientists from Newcastle University have helped discover information about life in one of the deepest places on the planet.
Among their discoveries, the team of 40 people think they are three new species of sea snail, called "pink, blue and purple snails".
The colorful creatures (members of the family Liparidae) were captured on camera and interact about 4.6 miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
Their presence, however, may not be the most shocking detail: analysts were surprised to find that these deep-sea animals did not fit the preconceived stereotype.
Instead of giant teeth and a threatening frame, the fish are small, translucent, without scales and, essentially, very adept at living where few organisms can do it.
"There is something about the snail fish that allows them to adapt to a very deep life," Linley, a postdoctoral research associate, said in a statement. "Beyond the reach of other fish, they are free of competitors and predators."
Appearing active and "very well fed", these snailheads are probably at the top of the local food chain – predators of other invertebrate prey.
Scientists and engineers from Newcastle have worked for five years developing technologies for the exploration of ultra-deep environments, such as the Atacama trench, which extends over nearly 3,700 kilometers. miles along the west coast of South America.
During a recent expedition, the team deployed its system of baited cameras, which takes up to four hours to sink into the bottom of the oceans, a total of 27 times. More than 100 hours of video and 11,468 photographs were captured on the seabed.
Analysts even managed to capture one of the new species, which, removed from the extreme pressure and cold of their natural habitat, "are extremely fragile and are melting quickly," according to Linley.
The specimen was in very good condition and is currently being described by the Newcastle group, with the help of colleagues from the United States and the Natural History Museum in London.
Watch the video above to see the slimy snail fish, with its long tadpole bodies and almost fluorescent skin tone.
The researchers also filmed "incredibly rare" sequences of long-legged crustaceans, known as Munnopsids – the size of an adult's hand. Although the exact species remains unknown, Linley is excited about this "incredible" discovery.
"Especially the flip that they do as they go from swimming to walking," he added.
US institutions are also making great progress underwater: MIT has recently introduced a soft robotic fish that is swimming alongside real seafood. And earlier this year, more than 100 new marine species were discovered around the world. Bermuda. Learn more about the fish and oceans of the Earth.
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