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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Sofia Quaglia

Dragons, sea toads and the longest creature ever seen found on undersea peaks off South America

An octopus on an underwater mountain off the coast of Chile
An octopus on an unexplored seamount east of Motu Motiro Hiva, an uninhabited island along the Salas y Gómez ridge Photograph: ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute

Squat lobsters, bright red sea toads and deep-sea dragon fish were among more than 160 species never previously seen in the region that were spotted on a recent expedition exploring an underwater mountain range off the coast of South America. Scientists working on Falkor Too, a California-based Schmidt Ocean Institute research vessel, believe that at least 50 of those species are likely to be new to science.

  • A Chaunax (member of the sea toad family) found to the south of Rapa Nui, near the western end of the Salas y Gómez ridge

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