New Deep-Sea Predator Dulcibella camanchaca Discovered in Atacama Trench

Scientists have identified a previously unknown deep‑sea predator, Dulcibella camanchaca, collected from the Atacama (Peru‑Chile) trench at a depth of about 7,900 m where water pressure reaches roughly 800 times atmospheric pressure. The tiny four‑centimetre female specimen shows strong oral structures and large front limbs adapted for grasping live prey, indicating an active hunting lifestyle unlike most abyssal crustaceans that feed on carrion.

The organism was retrieved during a 2023 expedition organized by the Institute Milenij for Oceanography (IMO) of the University of Concepción, Chile, using the research vessel Abate Molina. Genetic analysis revealed that the species belongs to a completely new genus. Findings were published in the journal Systematics and Biodiversity, highlighting the Atacama trench as an isolated ecosystem that may host further undiscovered life forms.