From ‘ghost sharks’ to worms on volcanic seamounts, scientists have discovered a complex array of life beneath the ocean surface
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Scientists have discovered 1,121 previously unknown marine species in a single year, marking a significant step in the race to understand and protect the planet’s oceans. The findings represent a 54 per cent jump in annual identification numbers thanks to Ocean Census NOVA – a new open access data platform transforming the way new marine species are recorded globally.
Led by The Nippon Foundation–Nexton Ocean Census, the global effort included 13 expeditions and nine species discovery workshops with leading scientists from across the world.
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Discoveries from depths of up to 6,575 metres include a new species of deep-sea ghost shark, a symbiotic bristle worm living within a ‘glass castle’, as well as corals, crabs, shrimps, sea urchins, and anemones.
90 per cent of ocean species remain undiscovered, so such findings highlight both the sheer scale of life yet to be documented and the importance of building scientific data that policymakers and marine managers need to protect the ocean.
‘With many species at risk of disappearing before they are even documented, we are in a race against time to understand and protect ocean life,’ said head of science at Ocean Census, Dr Michelle Taylor.
‘For too long, thousands of species have remained in a scientific ‘limbo’ because the pace of discovery couldn’t keep up. We are now breaking that bottleneck. By accelerating discovery and sharing data globally, we are not just finding new life, but generating the evidence needed to drive global science and policy at a critical moment.’
Below, find out more about some of the species discovered by scientists…
The ‘ghost shark’ chimaera
The species was discovered by taxonomist Dr William White during a CSIRO expedition to the Coral Sea Marine Park, off the Queensland coast.
Often called ‘ghost sharks’, chimaeras are among the most mysterious inhabitants of the deep ocean. Distant relatives of sharks and rays, they diverged into a distinct evolutionary lineage nearly 400 million years ago – predating the dinosaurs.
Symbiotic worm
Discovered on a volcanic seamount during the 2025 Ocean Census JAMSTEC-Shinkai Japan expedition, this polychaete worm makes its home inside a ‘glass castle’: the intricate chambers of a glass sponge, a creature with a skeleton made of crystalline silica.
Ribbon worm
The striking pigmentation of this ribbon worm may serve as a visual warning to predators; a signal of the potent chemical defences common to the phylum Nemertea. Beyond their ecological role as predators, these worms may have biomedical significance; some of their unique toxins have been investigated as potential treatments for Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia.
Mediterranean shrimp
A striking new species of shrimp found in a sea cave off Marseille proves that major marine discoveries are still being made right on Europe’s Mediterranean coast. Defined by its vivid orange banding and intricate appendages, the specimen was identified by taxonomist Dr Hossein Ashrafi, building critical data for effective conservation in the pressured Mediterranean region.
