Story perspectives

Census Finds 1,121 New Marine Species, Including Deadly Deep-Sea Sponge

5/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Scientists discovered a carnivorous “death-ball” sponge at nearly 12,000 feet depth in the South Sandwich Islands.
The Census recorded 1,121 unknown marine species, including a chimaera in Australia’s Coral Sea Marine Park.
Researchers used submersibles, ROVs and taxonomic networks to speed identification, targeting 100,000 new species.
Taxonomists warned that formal description takes 13.5 years, prompting the Census to cut the lag via its NOVA platform.

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Story summary

Scientists discovered a carnivorous “death-ball” sponge at nearly 12,000 feet depth in the South Sandwich Islands.
The Census recorded 1,121 unknown marine species, including a chimaera in Australia’s Coral Sea Marine Park.
Researchers used submersibles, ROVs and taxonomic networks to speed identification, targeting 100,000 new species.
Taxonomists warned that formal description takes 13.5 years, prompting the Census to cut the lag via its NOVA platform.