Flourishing ecosystem in the Pacific
Casper octopus and sea toad – finds in the deep sea mountains

For the first time, images of a living Promachoteuthis squid were taken. Photo
© Schmidt Ocean Institute/dpa
Life in the deep sea usually remains hidden from us. An expedition in the South Pacific has now taken rare photos of bizarre organisms.
During an excursion, around 20 new species may have been found on an underwater mountain range off the coast of South America. For the first time, images of a living Promachoteuthis squid were taken, the Schmidt Ocean Institute announced. In addition, an underwater mountain was newly recorded and mapped. It is more than three kilometers high and is home to a thriving deep-seaecosystem.
A Casper octopus was also spotted – the first time this species has been seen in the South Pacific, the Marine Research Foundation further announced. In addition, two rare Bathyphysa state jellyfish – also known as flying spaghetti monsters – were observed.
Grinning sea toad
Using an underwater robot, the team explored an approximately 800 square meter field of deep-sea corals on one of the mountains, containing a variety of organisms such as rockfish, brittle stars and king crabs.
Pictures of bizarre-looking sea toads (Chaunacops) were also taken. The seamounts of the southeastern Pacific are home to a remarkable variety of species that have never been found anywhere else, according to the discoveries.
Diverse life
The team of oceanographers led by the Schmidt Ocean Institute had explored part of the so-called Chile Ridge, around 1,500 kilometers off the coast. It is a deep-sea mountain range along the seam of two diverging tectonic plates. The findings confirmed how diverse the ecosystems there are, said Tomer Ketter of the Schmidt Ocean Institute.