Research by the New Zealand Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) has identified more than a hundred new marine species in New Zealand waters.

During the expedition to an 800-kilometer stretch of the Bounty Trough, located at depths of up to 4,800 meters off the east coast of the South Island, the team collected more than 1,800 marine life specimens.

Initial analyzes confirmed that more than a hundred of the collected samples were previously unknown species; these include various molluscs, cephalopods, shrimp, three fish species, and a potentially new coral species.

The discovery of three new fish species in particular is attracting great interest, as the fish are thought to be relatively well studied. But one of the collected specimens has become a real mystery to scientists as it is difficult to attribute to any known class, with suggestions ranging from sea stars to sea anemones, and there is speculation that it may be a new type of coral.

Such studies highlight the fact that most ocean life remains undiscovered, with scientific estimates that more than 90% of ocean species have yet to be described. Expeditions like this help unlock the secrets of the ocean depths, both in the waters off New Zealand and in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of South and North America. Source