Fish that change color in, shrimp that look like praying mantises and sharks that walk. No, these aren't mythical characters in an upcoming animated film. They are just a few of the new species of undersea life found off the coast of Indonesia's Papua Province.
Conservation International announced on September 18 that a 12-member team of scientists has discovered 24 new species of fish, 20 species of coral and eight species of shrimp. That makes 52 new kinds of neighbors here on Earth.
Treasures Under the Sea
The scientists set out to complete a study that began five years ago.
They were exploring a remote location known as Bird's Head Seascape.
"Each site was about the size of two football fields," Mark Erdmann, the
senior adviser of Conservation International, told TFK. "It was the best
six weeks. Everyone on board was giddy like schoolchildren!" he says.
Among the scientists' discoveries were two types of epaulette sharks.
The 3-foot-long spotted fish live in shallow water. They walk on the sea
bottom, using their lower fins.
A Stunning Seascape
The Seascape is a remote, almost 71,000-square-mile area. It is home to
75% of all known coral species in the world. "It's one of the most
stunningly beautiful landscapes and seascapes on the planet," says
Erdmann.
Although the underwater research trips started in 2001, the scientists had to make sure that all of the never-before-seen species were, in fact, new. "After you discover a new species, you must describe it in detail and have those results published in a scientific journal," says scientist Sebastian Troeng. "The species is not recognized until it passes through those steps."
The team is hoping that these discoveries will shine new light on underwater expeditions. "There is still a lot to be discovered underwater," says Erdmann. "We know more about the moon than we do about our own planet. We need to do more under water."