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Author: DIVE Staff
The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to safeguarding the world’s deepest waters, has organised a competition inviting ocean lovers to name a new-to-science deep-sea coral.Â
The so far unnamed coral was discovered by deep-sea researcher Dr Michelle Taylor during a 2011 expedition onboard the Royal Research Ship (RRS) James Cook to the Melville Bank seamount in the Southwest Indian Ocean.
The coral is a member of the Thouarella genus, part of the Primnoidae family of octocorals, of which more than 30 species are described in the scientific literature. The coral is just 11cm tall with a light yellow, fan-like appearance, and is plate-like in shape.
Like most of the 3000 or more species of octocorals, the individual polyps that make up the new species of Thouarella’s branches are covered in calcium carbonate scales, and it is the unique size and shape and size of scales on these polyps that differentiate it from the other species identified so far.
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‘The Southwest Indian Ocean is very remote and its deep waters are rarely seen and sampled,’ said Dr Taylor describing the discovery. ‘A number of colonies of this species were picked up by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), [but] it wasn’t until we were back in the laboratory on land that I realized this was a species new to science.
‘I had to read dozens of species descriptions, but there was a slow realization that these colonies were different; that’s when the excitement of discovering something new really sets in,’ added Dr Taylorl. ‘New species are relatively common in the deep-sea coral world but each one is still exciting.’Â
The deep sea is home to a vast amount of biodiversity spread across a wide range of habitats, from benthic species inhabiting abyssal plains, seamounts, hydrothermal vents and cold seeps to those that live permanently in the water column.
Within these habitats, life has evolved to adapt to the extreme pressure, total darkness and temperatures that range from virtually freezing to thousands of degrees on the edge of volcanic trenches.
Scientists believe as many as 10 million species live in the deep sea, but the technical difficulties involved in reaching the depths mean many of them have yet to be discovered – indeed – new species are being found on virtually every expedition into the deep, as demonstrated by the recent Ocean Census missions.
‘The deep sea is a bastion of biodiversity, an archive of our blue planet’s history, and a frontier for scientific discovery,’ said Sian Owen, Executive Director at the DSCC. ‘Although many species dwelling in the deep ocean remain undiscovered, they provide irreplaceable services which support all life on Earth – services which should be celebrated and protected.
‘Yet our ocean faces unprecedented threats from destructive fishing practices and the spectre of deep-sea mining. These activities risk the irrevocable loss of unique marine species and habitats and undermine the ocean’s essential role in climate regulation and the global ecosystem.’
The competition to name the coral is open to entrants across the globe until 7 September 2024. The winning name will be decided by a panel of judges including Dr Michelle Taylor herself; Matthew Gianni, Co-Founder of the DSCC; and legendary Oceanographer, ‘Her Deepness,’ Dr Sylvia Earle.
The winning name will be announced at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 16) in Colombia in October this year.
Head to the deep-sea coral naming competition web page to enter.
The post Competition: name a new species of deep-sea coral appeared first on DIVE Magazine.
