Mar del Plata canyon expedition discovers new species and deep-sea pollution

A scientific expedition in the South Atlantic has revealed both significant biological discoveries and the pervasive reach of human pollution. During the Talud Continental IV and Oasis Submarinos missions conducted in mid-2025 aboard the research vessel Falkor (too), researchers explored the Mar del Plata submarine canyon.

Biologists identified 57 previously unknown marine species and five new genera. Notable findings include a sea cucumber nicknamed ‘Loki’ due to its horn-like protrusions, discovered at a depth of 2,577 meters. The findings include various echinoderms, copepods, and cnidarians, such as deep-sea corals.

Simultaneously, the expedition documented significant anthropogenic waste at extreme depths. Researchers from Conicet and other institutions identified 29 human-made objects between 1,120 and 3,814 meters deep, including plastic bags, food wrappers, ropes, and a rubber boot. The study, published in PLOS One, noted that marine organisms were found associated with seven of these waste items, indicating that plastic pollution is actively integrating into deep-sea ecological interactions.