What started as a search for cold seeps turned into something much bigger off Argentina.
Scientists on Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too) used a remotely operated vehicle to investigate chemical-rich cold seeps in the South Atlantic. Instead, they found an expansive deep-sea reef built by the cold-water coral Bathelia candida.
ScienceAlert reported the newly mapped reef covers about 0.4 square kilometres, about the size of Vatican City, making it the largest known Bathelia candida reef yet discovered.
The reef supports jellyfish, fish, octopuses and crabs. Along with the reef, the team also documented a nearby active cold seep, a deep-water whale fall and the giant phantom jellyfish, which is one of the least-seen jellyfish on Earth.
Dive footage showed branching coral, basket stars feeding in the current, crabs crossing the reef and fish moving through the structure.
Across the broader survey area, researchers collected 28 species they suspect are new to science.
Deep-sea coral reefs create habitat for entire ecosystems, and scientists said mapping them can help governments and communities make more informed decisions about fishing, seabed disturbance and ocean conservation.
The reef lies beneath one of Argentina’s productive fishing regions, and scientists believe the abundance of life above may help sustain the rich ecosystem below.
“I would say that it is one of the most vibrant and lush environments in the deep sea that I’ve ever seen,” deep-sea biologist Santiago Herrera of Lehigh University said, per ScienceAlert.
“So it’s a big surprise when you suddenly find large amounts of animals all together, clearly interacting in a very vibrant and dynamic ecosystem.”
Marine scientist María Emilia Bravo said, “We were not expecting to see this level of biodiversity in the Argentine deep sea, and are so excited to see it teeming with life.”
She also said: “We opened a window into our country’s biodiversity only to find there are so many more windows left to be opened.”
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