Three new species of pond snails, new species of deep-sea snails, a new giant sea bug called “Darth Vader,” a “big-butt star,” a “small sweet potato,” and dozens of previously unseen species have been discovered.
Three new species of pond snails have been discovered. Scientists from the N.P. Laverov Federal Research Center for Comprehensive Arctic Studies discovered them on the Japanese islands.
Scientists from the N.P. Laverov Federal Research Center for Integrated Arctic Studies (FRICSA), Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RBRAS), have discovered three new species of pond snails on the Japanese islands, Center Director and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Ivan Bolotov told TASS. Together with colleagues from St. Petersburg State University, they discovered an error in the species identification in a scientific publication by Japanese researchers and corrected it.
“We discovered three species new to science. They were discovered using genetic data obtained by colleagues in Japan, who published the data under incorrect names. We reviewed the genetic material, requested clarification, and ultimately resulted in a major joint publication,” Bolotov said.
In a paper by Japanese parasitologists, pond snails (Lymnaeidae), inhabitants of local freshwater bodies, were considered intermediate hosts for parasitic flatworms. However, the published DNA sequencing results for the snails were incorrect. The Japanese scientists classified them as known species, even though the genetic data clearly differed from all known pond snails. Russian scientists requested additional samples and conducted further genetic studies. The work lasted for approximately three years, and three new species were named Galba pacifica, Kamtschaticana nipponica, and Orientogalba hokkaidoensis, two of which are endemic to the Japanese archipelago.
Vladimir Leron/TASS
“Galba pacifica is found in Kamchatka, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and the Japanese islands,” explained the center’s director. “Kamtschaticana nipponica and Orientogalba hokkaidoensis are endemic to the Japanese islands. Kamtschaticana is found in Hokkaido and Honshu, while the latter is native to Hokkaido.”
Pond snails are intermediate hosts for various parasites, with specific parasites carried by specific mollusks. Therefore, it’s important to know where each pond snail lives. For example, the liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) is a parasite of ungulates and humans, affecting the liver and biliary system. This parasite is associated with the common pond snail (Lymnaea truncatula), a gastropod common in Eurasia.
“We’ve developed a patented method that allows us to extract the combined DNA of the parasites found in these mollusks and the mollusks themselves, and sequence both the mollusks’ and the parasites’ genes,” the agency’s source noted. “This approach is very useful for practical applications.” FICCIA biologists have also created a library of genetic sequences that parasitologists can use to identify mollusks.
In addition, a large team of researchers reviewed data on pond snails living in waters of eastern and northeastern Asia (including Korea, parts of China, the Japanese Islands, the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, the Russian Far East coast, Kamchatka, and Chukotka) and northwestern North America (Alaska and the Canadian states of Yukon and British Columbia). In addition to biologists from the Federal Research Center for Aquaculture and the St. Petersburg State University, the team included scientists from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as representatives from Japan and South Korea.
Experts have clarified the migration routes of mollusks between Asia and North America across the so-called Bering Land Bridge, which carried various species, including mammoths and humans. It turns out that two mollusks migrated from Asia to America, while two more migrated in the opposite direction and are found in Chukotka, Kamchatka, and the Commander Islands. “DNA-based differences between the North American and Asian populations are minimal. We estimate this migration to have occurred during the late Pleistocene, less than 50,000 years ago,” Bolotov concluded.
During an international expedition to the Aleutian Trench and adjacent deep-sea areas of the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, Russian scientists discovered new species of deep-sea mollusks, according to the A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The Aleutian Trench is the longest oceanic trench, stretching 4,000 kilometers from the Commander Islands to the eastern Aleutians, with a maximum depth of 7,822 meters. The Aleutian Trench and the adjacent island archipelago represent potential barriers to the dispersal of deep-sea marine species. Its benthic fauna had previously been virtually unstudied. During the expedition, scientists collected over 4,300 mollusc specimens, representing 211 identified morphospecies from seven classes.
A lagoon near the village of Lorino on the Bering Sea coast in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. File photo. RIA Novosti / Andrey Shapran
“Among bivalve mollusks, two families—Thyasiridae (15 species) and Cuspidariidae (12 species)—are the richest in species. As shown by Russian scientists, the high species richness of these families is characteristic of many deep-sea regions (depths greater than 3,000 meters) of the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Of the 82 bivalve species found during the study, 42 were identified to the species level. The remaining species, which cannot yet be accurately identified, are likely new to science,” the report states.
Of the 42 identified species, 31 inhabit the northwestern Pacific Ocean, demonstrating similarities between its northwestern and northeastern parts. Nearly a third of the identified species were recorded for the first time in the eastern Pacific.
“In the studied region, we discovered three species of the genus Axinulus, one of which was new to science, while the species Axinulus krylovae and Axinulus oliveri were recorded for the first time in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The new species was described as Axinulus pentagonalis sp. nov. and was found in the Bering Sea and on the oceanic slopes of the Aleutian Islands at depths of 3,646-4,630 meters,” Gennady Kamenev, senior researcher at the Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics at the National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, commented on the RAS website.
Furthermore, during the expedition, scientists captured the first specimen of the dumbo octopus Grimpoteuthis emperor since its discovery in the Emperor Ridge region. A very rare gastropod, Tropidofusus aequilonius, was also discovered.
After analyzing the species composition of mollusks in these areas, scientists discovered that the Aleutian Trench and the island chain as a whole are not a natural barrier to the distribution of many deep-sea species.
A “big starfish,” a “little sweet potato,” and dozens of previously unseen species were recorded during a deep-sea expedition off the coast of Argentina. Researchers captured video of a “big starfish” off the coast of Argentina that resembles Patrick Star from SpongeBob SquarePants.
A deep-sea expedition off the coast of Argentina captured stunning images of more than 40 previously unseen species.
A purple sea cucumber dubbed “Little Sweet Potato” has been discovered off the coast of Argentina. CONICET/Schmidt Ocean Institute
The unexpected star of the show was a chubby sea creature nicknamed the “big-butt starfish” for its striking resemblance to Patrick Star from SpongeBob SquarePants.
During the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian’s dives in the Mar del Plata Canyon in Argentina, which began on July 23, scientists on board the accompanying research vessel provided a live, high-definition broadcast with real-time commentary about the rarely seen deep-sea creatures. During the dives, they discovered carnivorous sponges, translucent fish, brightly colored rays, and corals never seen before in the South Atlantic—a region rich in biodiversity that remains virtually unexplored.
A newly discovered starfish, dubbed the “great starfish,” resembles Patrick Star from SpongeBob SquarePants. Screenshot from the Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition.
The starfish, which became a viral hit on social media, belongs to the genus Hippasteria, known for its thick central disc and short, stubby limbs. During the broadcast, viewers chatting affectionately nicknamed it “estrella culona”—Spanish for “big-butt star.”
The Argentine scientists participating in the expedition put forward several hypotheses to explain this creature’s remarkable anatomy. Perhaps the starfish simply eats well—they are voracious predators. Or its rounded shape could be a result of gravity, as the filming was done on a vertical surface, with the central disk facing downward, creating the illusion of gluteal muscles.
Several crustaceans were discovered by a remotely operated vehicle in the Mar del Plata underwater canyon off the coast of Argentina. CONICET/Schmidt Ocean Institute
Starfish don’t have a posterior region like humans or other bilaterally symmetrical animals. Instead, they have radial symmetry: the mouth is located on the underside of the central disk. This lower, or “oral,” surface is pressed against the seafloor, where feeding occurs. The anus is located in the center of the upper, or “aboral,” surface, which is what a diver sees first when approaching the animal.
“While sea stars have a fully functional digestive system and an anus, it’s not located where people point out on social media,” Mariela Romanelli, a biologist and curator of the invertebrate collection at Argentina’s National Museum of Natural Sciences, told local Spanish-language news site Infobae. “Still, the resemblance to Patrick Star’s butt is quite amusing.”
During the mission, the ROV SuBastian conducted surveys and collected samples. CONICET/Schmidt Ocean Institute
A starfish with a huge butt isn’t the only creature from an expedition led by scientists from the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research and the Schmidt Institute of Oceanology to captivate the public. Another deep-sea creature captured on camera was a purple sea cucumber of the genus Benthodytes, whose plump body and purple hue earned it the nickname “Batatita” (“little sweet potato”). The specimen was captured by a remotely operated vehicle and is alive and well at the surface, expedition scientists reported.
The expedition documented at least 25 species of fish, both bony and cartilaginous, carnivorous sponges that had never been recorded in the South Atlantic, as well as crustaceans and other invertebrates that are specially adapted to life in the black depths.
Researchers have collected numerous marine life samples, which they now plan to study in the laboratory. CONICET/Schmidt Ocean Institute
A new giant sea bug, “Darth Vader,” has been discovered in the South China Sea. The giant isopod has been named Bathynomus vaderi due to its resemblance to Darth Vader’s iconic helmet from Star Wars. Scientists discovered the previously unseen giant sea bug after studying specimens purchased from fishermen in Vietnam.
Bathynomus vaderi belongs to the genus Bathynomus—giant isopods that inhabit cold, deep waters. It is a “supergiant,” weighing over 1 kg and reaching a length of 32.5 cm, making it one of the largest known isopods.
The species is named “vaderi” because its head resembles the famous helmet of Darth Vader from Star Wars.
Dr. Nguyen Thanh Son holds a giant specimen of another species of giant isopod found in Vietnam (B. jamesi), weighing 2.62 kg, at a seafood market in Hanoi, October 2024. Peter Ng
According to the study, B.vaderi has so far only been found near the Spratly Islands, an archipelago in the South China Sea, but it may also inhabit other parts of the South China Sea.
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In a study published on January 15, 2025, in the journal ZooKeys, a team of scientists examined specimens collected by local fishermen and found that some individuals had distinctive physical features that allowed them to be classified as a new species. The scientists described a prominent depression in the pelvic bone of B. vaderi and a unique bony ridge protruding from the coracoid process, which distinguishes it from other supergiant isopods.
Bathynomus vaderi was discovered after scientists noticed differences between it and other species of giant isopods. Nguyen Thanh Son
Researchers noted that Bathynomus species have recently become a delicacy in Vietnam, often compared to lobsters. Local demand has turned these sea bugs into a high-priced staple in the live seafood market, leading to increased fishing pressure in the region.
Researchers argue that this commercial interest creates both opportunities and challenges. The rapidly growing market could pose a threat to giant isopods, but it could also pave the way for stricter regulations and sustainable deep-sea fishing practices.
B. vaderi is not the largest isopod species. That title belongs to B. jamesi, which can reach a length of about 50 cm and a weight of 2.6 kg. Supergiant isopods are often found in deep-sea environments, making their study challenging due to their inaccessibility.
“You can see its insides and everything”: A strange, transparent crustacean with giant eyes has been discovered off the coast of the Bahamas. Scientists have discovered a new species related to the roller bug, which plays a vital role in maintaining ocean health.
Using LEDs and glow sticks, scientists in the Bahamas have discovered an ancient deep-sea crustacean with giant eyes and a transparent body.
Although the species, which they named Booralana nickorum, was recently discovered, it has been on the planet for 300 million years and may play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health, the researchers wrote in a study published January 12, 2025, in the journal Zootaxa.
The new species has a rigid exoskeleton, a segmented body, and large compound eyes that help it spot potential prey. Because it lives in deep, light-poor waters, it requires no coloration or pigmentation, making it white and even slightly translucent.
Booralana nickorum was discovered during two expeditions to an underwater slope in the Exuma Sound in the Bahamas. OceanX
Its body length ranges from 55 to 76 millimeters, significantly larger than its terrestrial relatives in the woodlouse family, also known as woodlice or woodlice, which are about 14 mm long. The large size of B. nickorum gives this deep-sea scavenger an advantage, as it waits on the bottom for food to fall from above.
“The bigger you are, the more you can get in one meal,” Higgs said, and the longer the animal can go without eating, which is important in this food-scarce environment.
The team discovered B. nickorum at depths of 540 to 560 meters on an underwater slope in Exuma Bay, Bahamas. They obtained samples during two expeditions, in April 2014 and February 2019, organized by OceanX and the Cape Eleuthera Institute. In 2014, they set baited eel traps that caught deep-sea isopods—a type of crustacean with a flattened, segmented body—so they returned in 2019 to continue the study using light traps. Instead of bait, these devices contained a flashing multicolor LED fishing light; a green glow stick (a green deep-sea LED fishing light); and a programmable white LED light to attract the creatures, mimicking the bioluminescence generated by deep-sea animals.
A new species, named Booralana nickorum, may play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health. OceanX
Higgs said once the researchers examined the samples on board the ship, they were convinced that the species was “definitely different from anything we’ve seen before.”
These isopods play a vital role in the ecosystem, accelerating the decomposition of plant and animal matter so that the ecosystem as a whole can benefit from these energy sources. “Otherwise, they would simply sink and remain trapped in the sediment,” Higgs said.
These crustaceans also ensure that carbon from organic matter falling from shallow waters is retained in the deep ocean for thousands of years.
Discovering such new species helps researchers understand whether deep-sea animals are endemic to a single location or migrate from one region to another over time. This allows scientists to better predict the impact of human activities, such as mining.
Higgs believes that as more countries like the Bahamas consider deep-sea oil exploration, expeditions like these are crucial to helping decision-makers understand how drilling could impact their precious ecosystems.
A newly discovered Antarctic sea spider with boxing glove-shaped claws has been recovered from the ocean floor. This species of sea spider was recovered from a depth of more than 1,800 feet beneath the surface of Antarctica’s Ross Sea.
A strange yellow spider-like creature with four nearly black eyes and large, protruding claws has been recovered from the depths of the ocean off the coast of Antarctica.
A never-before-seen animal—the sea spider, a distant relative of horseshoe crabs and arachnids—lives on the ocean floor, feeds with a straw for a mouth, and breathes with its feet. Scientists have discovered more than 1,000 species of sea spiders worldwide.
A new species, Austropallene halanychi, was discovered on the bottom of the Ross Sea at a depth of approximately 570 meters. Among other sea spider oddities, the new species has large, boxing-glove-like claws, which it likely uses to grasp soft food such as sea anemones and worms. The study was published on November 28, 2023, in the journal ZooKeys.
The sea spider was identified as a new species by its large, bulbous claws. Andrew Mahon
The body length of A. halanychi is approximately 1 cm, and its legs are almost 3 cm long. This gives this species the slender appearance typical of many sea spiders, although some species can grow much larger, reaching almost 60 cm in width.
Moreover, this new species is likely just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the undiscovered fauna that inhabits the bottom of the Southern Ocean—an ecosystem home to everything from brightly colored starfish and otherworldly marine worms to sponges and cold-water corals.
“The benthic environment of Antarctica is an area of science we need to continue to explore,” Mahon said. “There’s so much there that every time we go down, we find something new.”
Austropallen halanychi is a newly discovered species of sea spider found off the coast of Antarctica. Andrew Mahon
To learn more about this habitat, researchers cast nets deep underwater to collect anything that might end up on the bottom. After retrieving the nets, they sort everything they caught and preserve each sample before sending it back to the lab for further analysis.
But with so many potential new species to describe, studying all the specimens can take a long time. A. halanychi was first discovered in 2013 by the American research vessel Nathaniel B. Palmer. Recently, Mahon and his colleague Jessica Senpfennig retrieved it from storage and, after analyzing its body shape and genetics, identified it as a new species.
However, researchers may be running out of time to study the Antarctic seafloor. According to Mahon, as the climate changes, warming waters could threaten the future of some species living in this isolated and unique ecosystem. He explains that one of the reasons researchers continue to study the Antarctic seafloor is the desire to document and preserve this biodiversity before it’s too late.
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