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One of the many newly discovered plankton species in the Atlantic Ocean. (Photo: ABConline) |
An international survey in the tropical waters between the eastern United States and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge has uncovered between 10 to 20 new microscopic life forms at the ocean’s depths.
Using specialized nets, scientists captured thousands of tiny plankton samples. Among these new species are six types of shrimp-like crustaceans, a shrimp-like organism, along with other creatures such as snails and swimming worms…
The plankton are mostly just a few millimeters long, although some can be as long as a jellyfish’s tentacle. They inhabit depths ranging from 1 to 5 kilometers and swim with the ocean currents.
“This is an exploratory journey, sampling some of the deepest regions of the oceans that have hardly ever been sampled before,” said Dr. Peter Wiebe, the lead researcher from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the United States.
The scientists also discovered new fish species, including a black broad-mouthed fish.
Most species are distributed within the first kilometer of depth, but researchers noted that the survey indicated richness even at greater depths.
The survey results will provide a benchmark for assessing future changes in the oceans.
T.An
