They cover almost 70 percent of the surface of our planet.
But Earth’s oceans are largely unexplored, and 95 percent of our waters are still a mystery.
Now, scientists have ventured to the Nazca Ridge, where they have discovered a huge underwater mountain teeming with life.
The seamount is more than 3 kilometres high (a third of the height of Mount Everest) and is home to at least 20 never-before-seen species.
Incredible footage offers the first look at these creatures, which include a sea toad, flying spaghetti monsters and a Casper octopus.
Scientists have ventured to the Nazca Ridge, where they have discovered a huge underwater mountain teeming with life.
The seamount is more than 3 kilometres high (one third the height of Mount Everest) and is home to at least 20 never-before-seen species. Pictured: a sea toad
Incredible images provide the first look at these creatures, including a sea toad, flying spaghetti monsters (pictured) and a Casper octopus.
The new seamount was discovered by a team of oceanographers from the Schmidt Institute of Oceanography while exploring the Nazca Ridge, an underwater mountain range 900 miles off the coast of Chile.
Using underwater robots, the team was able to map the massive mountain and film some of the life that thrives there.
A pristine coral garden measuring about 800 square meters was discovered, roughly the same size as three tennis courts.
These deep-sea corals were found to provide shelter for a variety of unusual organisms, including rockfish, brittle stars and king crabs.
The new seamount was discovered by a team of oceanographers from the Schmidt Institute of Oceanography while exploring the Nazca Ridge, an underwater mountain range 900 miles off the coast of Chile. Pictured: a new species of scorpionfish
With the help of underwater robots, the team was able to map the enormous mountain and film some of the life that thrives there. Pictured: a deep-sea starfish
A pristine coral garden measuring 800 square metres was discovered, roughly the same size as three tennis courts. Pictured: Casper the octopus
The team also captured the first footage of a live Promachoteuthis squid.
This genus is so rare that only three species have been described based on a few collected specimens, several of which date back to the late 19th century.
Other unusual creatures filmed by the robot include a Casper octopus and two “flying spaghetti monsters.”
This was the third expedition to the region this year, with the previous two having documented more than 150 new species.
“As we conclude our third expedition to the region, we have explored approximately 25 seamounts in the Nazca and Salas y Gómez mountain ranges,” said Tomer Ketter, co-director of marine science and technology at the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Deep-sea corals have been found to provide shelter for a variety of unusual organisms, including rockfish, brittle stars and king crabs (pictured)
The team also captured images of a live Promachoteuthis squid for the first time (pictured)
This expedition was the third to be carried out this year in the region; more than 150 new species were documented in the two previous expeditions. Pictured: a Poliopogon sponge with a shrimp
Before the expeditions of the Schmidt Oceanographic Institute, it was known that 1,019 species lived in this part of the Pacific Ocean. Now, that number exceeds 1,300 and continues to grow. Pictured: a tripod fish
‘Our findings highlight the remarkable diversity of these ecosystems, while revealing gaps in our understanding of how seamount ecosystems are interconnected.
“We hope that the data collected on these expeditions will help guide future policies and safeguard these pristine environments for future generations.”
Before the expeditions of the Schmidt Oceanographic Institute, it was known that 1,019 species lived in this part of the Pacific Ocean.
Today, that number exceeds 1,300 and continues to grow.
“Seamounts in the South-East Pacific are home to remarkable biological diversity, with species that have so far been found nowhere else,” said Professor Alex David Rogers, Scientific Director of Ocean Census.
Researchers hope the findings will help unravel some of the mysteries lurking in our uncharted oceans. Pictured: Golden coral with a lobster and a starfish
The scientific team documented this Squalus mitsukurii (short-spined spurfish) on the seafloor near an unexplored seamount.
A lobster of the genus Sternostylus, believed to be a newly identified species, was documented by the underwater robot
‘The work our taxonomists have carried out on board the Falkor (also), with support from the team at the Schmidt Institute of Oceanography, will significantly improve our understanding of the distribution of remarkable life forms on these seamounts, including several that have never before been mapped or seen by human eyes.’
Researchers hope the findings will help piece together some of the mysteries lurking in our unexplored oceans.
“The discovery of a new seamount nearly 2 miles tall, almost four times taller than the Burj Khalifa, with a vibrant ecosystem was very exciting,” said Dr. Jyotika Virmani, co-chief scientist and executive director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
‘Only 26% of the seafloor has been mapped at this high resolution and each expedition on Falkor (also) brings to light a little more of the unknown seafloor and life on our home planet.’