Marine researchers on a mission to record life hidden in the world’s oceans have reported discovering about 100 potential new species, including a mysterious star-like creature.
The expedition team from the Ocean Census group focused their investigation on the 800km long Bounty Trough, a little-explored part of the ocean off the coast of New Zealand, east of the South Island.
Scientists were puzzled by a find that they initially thought was a type of starfish or sea anemone.
Mikaela Mitchell, a taxonomist at the Queensland Museum Network, said it could be a type of deep-sea coral called an octocoral.
“Even more exciting is that it could be a whole new group outside of octocorals. If so, this is a significant find for the deep sea and gives us a much clearer picture of the planet’s unique biodiversity,” she said