Scientists Discover New Deep-Sea Coral Reefs Off Uruguayan Coast
An international, Uruguay-led team of scientists discovered “bustling fields” of deep sea coral reefs off the coast of Uruguay in the Atlantic Ocean during an expedition that ended on September 19.
In a press release, Schmidt Ocean Institute said the “thriving” coral reefs primarily consisted of a species recently listed as vulnerable to extinction.
The reefs are comprised of a “slow-growing, cold-water stony coral,” and were “healthier, larger, and richer with life than anticipated.”
“One of the largest reef complexes was found at 300 meters [984 feet] depth and covered an area of 1.3 square kilometers [321 acres] — more than 180 FIFA football fields. The tallest mound measured 40 meters [131 feet] in height,” according to the press release.
The team used a remotely operated vehicle, ROV SuBastian, to observe species that were “supported by warm and cold water currents that meet off Uruguay’s coast.”
“Colorful residents found living among the reefs included bellowsfish (also known as hummingbird fish), slit shell snails, groupers, and sharks,” the institute wrote.
The team also discovered at least “30 suspected new species, including sponges, snails, and crustaceans. They documented hundreds of species never before seen in Uruguayan waters, such as crystal squids, the dumbo octopus, and tripod fish.”
The data collected from the expedition will inform how Uruguay’s marine resources are managed and protected, the expedition’s chief scientist, Dr. Alvar Carranza of the Universidad de la Republica and the Centro Universitario Regional del Este, said in the release.
