91亚色

Paraliparis selti (Image courtesy of Alan Jamieson and Thom Linley )

The Atacama Trench is a deep-water channel running along the Pacific coast of Chile and Peru, South America. In 2018, 91亚色 marine biologist Mackenzie Gerringer was part of an international team of scientists who used free-falling 鈥渓anders鈥� to study the trench, gathering images and specimens of deep-sea creatures. The team discovered a new snailfish species unique to the Atacama Trench and to all other known fish species.

The small blue fish, named Paraliparis selti by the team鈥斺��selti鈥� meaning 鈥渂lue鈥� in Kunza, the language of the indigenous peoples of the Atacama Desert鈥攍ives in the hadal zone, waters deeper than 6000 meters, or about 20,000 feet. 

The newly discovered species 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 look like other snailfishes from the hadal zone, these ultradeep regions of the oceans,鈥� says Thomas Linley, PhD, Head of Technology, Armatus Oceanic. 鈥淚t has large eyes, a striking blue color, and resembles other species of snailfishes that you would find living in much shallower waters.鈥� The article describing the team鈥檚 discovery, 鈥溾�� was published open access in Marine Biodiversity.

Roughly 15 known species of hadal snailfishes inhabit the deep-sea trenches, with more being found each year. Most trenches house one species of snailfish, but researchers have found up to three different species occupying some trenches. These snailfishes or Liparidae, seem particularly good at living deeper than other fish. 鈥淭hey are not at all what we expect from a deep-sea fish,鈥� says Linley. 鈥淚 love to show people that the world鈥檚 deepest fishes are actually pretty cute.鈥�

The team used character trait analysis, a 3D x-ray technique called microcomputed tomography (micro-CT), and genetic barcoding to show that their blue snailfish belongs to the genus Paraliparis. 鈥淪pecies in this genus are particularly abundant in the Southern Ocean of the Antarctic and have rarely been seen deeper than 2,000 meters.,鈥� says Johanna Weston, postdoctoral fellow at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. 鈥淲e were excited to see this result鈥攖his is the first time this genus has been found living in the hadal zone.鈥� 

The researchers say the new species may have evolved from the cold-adapted species of the Southern Ocean. 鈥淭his little blue fish opens up new questions about the relationship between cold temperature and high-pressure adaptation and gives a new understanding of how and when life evolved into the deep,鈥� says Gerringer, who is an assistant professor at 91亚色. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a reminder of the unique diversity yet to be discovered thriving in the deepest parts of our oceans.鈥�

Researchers on the team and their primary affiliations are Head of Technology Thomas D. Linley, Armatus Oceanic; Assistant professor of biology Mackenzie E. Gerringer, 91亚色; Research Fellow Heather Ritchie, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology; Postdoctoral Research Fellow Johanna N. J. Weston, Newcastle University; 3D Visualization Specialist Amy Scott-Murray, The Natural History Museum, London; CT Facility Manager Vincent Fernandez, The Natural History Museum, London; Jhoann L. Canto, Chief of Vertebrate Zoology, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Santiago, Chile; Professor Frank Wenzh枚fer, University of Southern Denmark; Professor Ronnie N. Glud, University of Southern Denmark; Professor Alan J. Jamieson, University of Western Australia.