Scientists identified 57 new marine species in Argentina’s Mar del Plata Canyon during two weeks of work. They also identified five new genera, which are groups of closely related species. Most samples came from a research expedition in July and August 2025. In July 2026, 20 experts from Latin America and Europe met in Buenos Aires to examine them.
The expedition’s live underwater videos attracted more than four million viewers. Many watched because an orange sea star resembled Patrick Star from SpongeBob SquarePants. However, this animal was not a new species and was left in the sea. Among the new discoveries was a sea cucumber with two horn-like body parts, nicknamed Loki.
Researchers also identified 20 new copepods, tiny animals with hard outer bodies. They examined only 10% of the copepod samples, and every animal they checked was new to science. The remaining 90% still need examination. Alongside these discoveries, the team found plastic and fishing waste. This shows that human activity affects even this remote deep-sea habitat.
