Scientists discover new deep-sea predator, named ‘Darkness’ A team of scientists from the United States and Chile has discovered a new species of predatory amphipod, Dulcibella camanchacain the Atacama Trench, off the west coast of South America. The species was discovered at a depth of 7,902 meters, marking an important discovery in deep-sea exploration. The creature’s predatory behavior and its classification as a new genus make this discovery particularly remarkable.
D. camanchaca is the first predatory amphipod known to inhabit the hadal zone, a region of the ocean deeper than 6,000 meters. Unlike typical amphipods, which feed on organic matter, this species actively hunts smaller amphipods using specialized raptorial appendages called gnathopods. The species is also larger than similar deep-sea amphipods, measuring less than 4 centimeters.
The name of the genus, Dulcibellais inspired by Dulcinea du Toboso from the novel Don Quixotecontinuing a tradition of naming amphipods after literary figures. The name of the species, camanchacaderives from local South American languages and means “darkness”, reflecting the deep, dark environment in which it inhabits.
The discovery was made during an expedition led in 2023 by Chile’s Integrated Deep Ocean Observation System. The researchers used a lander equipped with baited traps to collect the specimens from the Atacama Trench, an area known for its extreme pressure and temperature conditions. This discovery highlights the potential for future discoveries in the trench, considered an endemic hotspot harboring unique marine life.
The findings highlight the importance of continuing deep-sea research, particularly in areas like the Atacama Trench, which remains largely unexplored. The discovery of D. camanchaca and its new genus could provide insights into deep-sea ecosystems and the potential for similar life forms on other oceanic moons, such as Europa and Enceladus.
The study, published in Systematics and Biodiversityadds to the growing body of knowledge about life in Earth’s extreme ocean environments and the potential for undiscovered species in the depths of the world’s oceans.
