Three New Species Discovered in the Depths of the Pacific
What are believed to be three new species of snailfish were discovered in the depths of the Pacific Ocean during an exploration by Newcastle University.The new species, known as the pink, blue, and purple Atacama snailfish, were discovered between 6,500 and 7,500 meters below the surface, said the university.They are part of the Liparidae family and “do not conform to the preconceived stereotypical image of what a deep-sea fish should look like.”The fish, as seen in the footage, were described as small, translucent, bereft of scales, and highly adept at living where few other organisms can.Footage of the long-legged isopods, munnopsids, was also recorded. These can be seen somersaulting, swimming backwards and upside down and walking along the sea floor like a spider.The expedition was carried out in the Atacama Trench, off the coast of Chile and Peru, by a team of 40 scientists. Credit: Newcastle University via Storyful