The recently discovered seamounts on the Nazca Ridge host a vibrant ecosystem, including coral gardens supporting diverse marine life such as rockfish and king crabs. This underlines the richness of biodiversity that remains unexplored in the deep sea.
For the first time, live footage of the rare Promachoteuthis squid, previously only known from dead specimens, was captured, revealing insights into ocean biodiversity previously unknown to scientists.
Tomer Ketter emphasized the uncharted diversity of the ocean floor, stating, 'There is so much diversity and richness below the ocean surface, specifically on the seafloor, that we're unaware of,' which reflects the ongoing mystery of marine ecosystems.
The expedition aboard the R/V Falkor focused not only on mapping a newly discovered seamount but also on the critical role these structures play in providing habitats for marine life, with less than 1% of the Earth's seamounts well-mapped.
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