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Marine species and deep-sea pollution in Mar del Plata

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2026-10-10 04:59 UTC → 2026-10-13 12:31 UTC · added removed

Marine species discovery and deep-sea pollution in Mar del Plata canyon

Following the Talud Continental IV expedition and Oasis Submarinos expeditions in August 2025, mid-2025, an international workshop of taxonomists has confirmed the discovery of 57 new marine species and five new scientific genera in the Mar del Plata submarine canyon off the coast of Argentina. The research, conducted Conducted using the vessel R/V Falkor (too) and the remotely operated vehicle SuBastian, the research reached depths of 3,900 meters. The identified organisms include 20 copepods, 22 echinoderms, 14 cnidarians, and one scaphopod mollusk. Notable discoveries include a deep-sea sea cucumber named ‘Loki’ (Peniagone sp.) sp.), found at 2,577 meters, and a bright orange starfish. The findings In addition to biological findings, the expedition documented significant anthropogenic waste at extreme depths. Researchers identified 29 human-made objects between 1,120 and 3,814 meters, including plastic bags, food wrappers, ropes, and a rubber boot. A study published in PLOS One noted that marine organisms were finalized through found associated with seven of these waste items, suggesting that plastic pollution is actively integrating into deep-sea ecological interactions. The research was a collaboration between The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census and the Schmidt Ocean Institute, with local coordination by researchers from CONICET at Universidad Maimónides. Data from these discoveries has been integrated into the open-access Ocean Census NOVA platform.

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  1. 2026-10-13 12:31 UTC Marine species and deep-sea pollution in Mar del Plata
  2. 2026-10-10 04:59 UTC Marine species discovery in Mar del Plata canyon

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