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Chilean scientists have identified an active predatory crustacean inhabiting depths of more than 8.000 meters, revealing secrets about extreme life at the bottom of the ocean.
In the vastness of the South Pacific Ocean, a recent major scientific discovery has revealed one of the most enigmatic predators adapted to the extreme conditions of our planet Earth. Known as Dulcibella camanchaca, this new species of crustacean challenges everything we know about marine life.
According to experts, the animal can be described like a small monster from a science fiction movie. It can inhabit the seabed at a depth of more than 8 meters, a place where sunlight never reaches and where there is crushing pressure.
The meaning of “Dulcibella”
The name of the crustacean, “Dulcibella”, has its origins in the indigenous languages of the Andes and is translated as “darkness”. This name refers to the extreme conditions in which it can survive, being located in the Atacama Trench, where researchers found it.
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The animal has an unusual, almost translucent appearance and does not exceed four centimeters in length. It stands out for its ability to survive in some of the most extreme conditions on planet Earth. Using its raptorial appendages, it hunts its prey with the efficiency of a highly specialized predator.
The scientific expedition and the collection of the crustacean
The discovery of the crustacean was made by scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO), located in Chile.
The Atacama Trench, located along the South Pacific Ocean, represents a very critical point for the study of marine biodiversity.
This is an isolated location where, despite very complicated conditions, a unique community of endemic organisms survives, adapting to an almost total lack of light and the intense water pressure at that depth.
The new species was collected during the Integrated Deep Ocean Observing System (IDOOS) Expedition, of 2023, aboard the RV Molina slaughter.
Four specimens of Dulcibella camanchaca were captured by researchers at an impressive depth of 7.902 meters.
Using an untethered landing vehicle, scientists transported the animals to the surface, where they were frozen and sent for morphological and genetic analysis at the University of Concepción.
These analyses confirmed that Dulcibella camanchaca is not only a new species, but also represents a new genus, a rare discovery that expands our understanding of the creatures that inhabit the deepest regions of the ocean.
Dr. Johanna Weston, a Hadal ecologist at WHOI and one of the study’s lead authors, highlighted the importance of this discovery for the field of marine biology:
“Most excitingly, the DNA and morphology data indicated that this species is also a new genus, emphasizing the Atacama Trench as an endemic hotspot."
The ecologist added that the research highlights the fundamental role of the Atacama Trench as a unique biodiversity hotspot in the world, and is essential for understanding how life can adapt to the extremes of the Earth.
The importance of continued deep ocean exploration
In addition to revealing a new species, this discovery by Chilean researchers highlighted the importance of continued exploration of the deep ocean.
The study has allowed scientists to better understand how pressures at the bottom of the ocean shape the evolution and incredible adaptations of these species.
