Scientists Find 31 New Midwater Species, Image Microbe in 3D Off Brazil

3 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · Jun 13

A South Atlantic expedition off Brazil paired 31 newly confirmed midwater species with a first-at-sea 3D view of a living protist’s cellular structure.
Three imaging systems on ROV SuBastian—MBARI’s DeepPIV and EyeRIS plus a Japanese shadowgraph camera—let researchers scan fragile animals in place, while genome sequencing confirmed the species.
The haul included comb jellies, gossamer worms, larvaceans, siphonophores and giant rhizarians, all from the vast midwater zone between the sunlit surface and deep ocean.
Researchers said the non-invasive toolkit could cut species description from years or decades to days, opening broader study of one of Earth’s least understood habitats without damaging its gelatinous life.

Sources

ScienceAlert34d ago

Scientists Discover 31 New Deep-Sea Species, Image Microbe in 3D Off Brazil

YouTube34d ago

Giant Siphonophore: Longer Than a Blue Whale Creepy Deep Sea Creature

AOL34d ago

See it: Over 30 new species discovered during expedition to the ocean's 'largest frontier' - AOL

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Unveiling Earth’s Hidden Biodiversity: The 2026 Brazilian Deep-Sea Expedition and the Discovery of 2,000+ New Marine Species

Overview

In June 2026, the Falkor (too) expedition off Brazil made a breakthrough by discovering a surprising diversity of deep-sea life. An international team of experts, including Dr. Karen Osborn, found far more midwater organisms than expected, revealing a vibrant ecosystem filled with unique creatures that seemed almost unreal. Among the discoveries were delicate glass squid, a pelagic octopus feeding on a red jellyfish, and tadpole-like larvaceans. These larvaceans build intricate, balloon-like mucus houses, showing just how complex and strange deep-sea life can be. This highlights how much of the ocean’s biodiversity remains unexplored.

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