Photos: Hundreds of New Species Found off Tasmania

New Sea Star

Photograph courtesy CSIRO

A new species of sea star, or starfish, lives among deepwater corals about 3,658 feet (1,115 meters) below the surface in the Huon Commonwealth Marine Reserve, one of two sites recently surveyed by Australian researchers.

Huon is one of 14 recently established marine reserves in the Southeast Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network, a matrix of 14 protected areas covering 87,300 square miles (226,000 square kilometers) of Australia's southeastern seas.

The sea star is among the hundreds of new marine species discovered within these reserves in the deep waters off Tasmania, researchers reported in October 2008.

Published May 27, 2010

Marginaster Sea Star

Photograph courtesy CSIRO

A recently discovered species of Marginaster sea star was found living around seamounts in the southern waters off the coast of Tasmania, scientists reported in October 2008.

The seamounts, or underwater mountains, can sprawl 15.6 miles (25 kilometers) wide and rise thousands of feet from the seabed.

In the deep sea, where the ocean bottom is nothing more than muddy sediment, rocky seamounts offer a stable habitat that provides shelter and food for sea life.

Published May 27, 2010

Brittle Stars

Photograph courtesy CSIRO

Spiky but fragile Ophiacantha brittle stars are among the hundreds of newly described species found off the southeastern coast of Australia.

In October 2008 researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) released the above picture of the brittle star along with images of other marine species new to science.

Using advanced technology such as multibeam sonar and powerful cameras, scientists were able to probe to depths of 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) below the sea, shooting 8,000 pictures and more than a hundred hours of video footage.

Published May 27, 2010

Ophiomitrella Brittle Star

Photograph courtesy CSIRO

A new species of Ophiomitrella brittle star was captured during a recent survey of two marine reserve areas off the southern coast of Tasmania.

The survey team found hundreds of new species of corals, starfish, sponges, shrimps, and crabs. The researchers estimate that 66 percent of the invertebrate species they observed are new to science.

''We probably know more about the surface of the moon than we do about some of the vast reaches of our oceans,'' said Peter Garrett, Australian minister for the environment, heritage, and the arts.

Published May 27, 2010

Amphioplus Brittle Star

Photograph courtesy CSIRO

A species of Amphioplus brittle star found in deep Australian waters is among the hundreds of newly described animals recorded by a Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) expedition.

The deep-sea find, reported in October 2008, is the third bunch of marine species recently discovered in Australian waters.

Experts estimate that 87 percent of Australian marine territory is unmapped--an area bigger than the country's landmass.

Published May 27, 2010

New Shrimp

Photograph courtesy CSIRO

A new species of Plesionika shrimp probably won't be thrown on the barbie anytime soon. That's because it was found living at depths of 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) off the coast of Tasmania, researchers announced in October 2008.

An Australian survey team found the shrimp--along with hundreds of new species of corals, starfish, sponges, shrimps, and crabs--within a network of marine reserves.

The latest discovery "shows us there's so much out there that we don't know" said Justin Marshall, a marine scientist at the University of Queensland who was not part of the survey team. "We may be destroying habitat before we even know what's there, so we need to describe it before it's gone."

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Published May 27, 2010