Overview
- The Nippon Foundation–Nekton mission says it tallied the finds after 13 expeditions and nine discovery workshops across remote waters.
- The team reports a 54% jump in yearly identifications, with contributions from more than 1,000 researchers in about 85 countries.
- Standout finds include a worm living inside a glass sponge, a deep‑sea ghost shark called a chimaera, and a carnivorous “death ball” sponge.
- Many records are not yet formally described, a step that averages about 13 to 13.5 years and is needed for official names and legal protection.
- Ocean Census assigns an interim “discovered” status and posts expert‑validated records to an open database to guide science and policy as warming seas, pollution, and possible deep‑sea mining raise risks.