Mar del Plata Canyon, Argentina | Scientists Uncovered Over 40 New Species During an Unprecedented Deep - Sea Expedition

The Mar del Plata Canyon, a large submarine canyon located at the continental margin off northern Argentina in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 300 kilometres offshore from the city of Mar del Plata, a highly productive and biodiverse area, known for its deep - sea coral reefs and as an important reproductive area for some ray species was the destination of an unprecedented deep - sea expedition led by Argentine scientists who uncovered over 40 new species.

For three weeks, millions of viewers followed live this scientific mission led by researchers from Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), a government agency which directs and co - ordinates most of the scientific and technical research done in universities and institutes, as part of the expedition Underwater Oases of Mar del Plata Canyon : Continental Slope IV. 

More than thirty researchers from CONICET and several national universities took part in the expedition, which marked a turning point in Argentine’s marine exploration and in the public’s engagement with science.

For the first time, an Argentine scientific campaign was broadcast live, allowing audience to watch in real time as the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian owned by the Schmidt Ocean Institute capturating images of life on the ocean floor, reaching depths of up 3.900 metres and collecting samples without disturbing the environment.

During the dives in the canyon shaped by the Brazil - Malvinas Confluence, where warm, salty tropical water meets cold, nutrient - rich Antarctic water, creating a significant thermohaline front that fuels its rich ecosystem and featuring a mix of fine sand with terrigenous material, home to deep – sea coral reefs, including Bathelia candida stony corals and Anthomastus soft corals, the team documented more than forty potential new species including new types of corals, sea urchins, anemones, snails and sea cucumbers.

The team of scientists was led by Daniel Lauretta, a researcher at the Bernardino Rivadavia Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences (MACN – CONICET) who emphasised the importance of this mission for understanding the biodiversity of the South Atlantic. The collected samples will be analysed at CONICET laboratories, a process that could take months or even years.

The researcher said that almost half of Argentina’s territory lies beneath the Atlantic Ocean, and those seabeds are full of resources and life often unknown and exploring these areas is essential for understanding and protecting them. 

Link 

https://tvbrics.com/en/news/argentine-scientists-uncover-over-forty-new-species-during-deep-sea-expedition/