The depths of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina continue to surprise: an international team of taxonomists has confirmed the discovery of 57 new marine species in the Mar del Plata submarine canyon. These findings are the result of a thorough analysis of samples collected during the Talud Continental IV expedition in 2025.
The expedition lasted 21 days, was conducted from aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel and was broadcast live. Millions of viewers watched the work of the remotely operated vehicle SuBastian, which descended to a depth of up to 3900 meters. Preliminary estimates suggested roughly 40 new species, but after a July workshop at Maimonides University in Buenos Aires the figure rose to 57, and five new genera were also identified.
Among the discovered organisms are 20 species of copepods, 22 species of echinoderms (including sea cucumbers), 14 species of cnidarians and one species of scaphopod mollusk. Particular attention was drawn to "Loki" — the sea cucumber Peniagone sp. with horn-like appendages, named after the Norse deity. The samples are kept in the collections of Argentine museums, in particular at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales.
The workshop brought together twenty young taxonomists from Latin America and Europe under the guidance of CONICET researchers Martín Brogger, Valeria Teso and Daniel Lauretta. The scientists applied methods of integrative taxonomy and immediately entered the data into the open Ocean Census NOVA platform. According to the participants, many samples are still awaiting detailed study, so the list of new species will likely continue to grow.
The discovery highlights how little the deep-water ecosystems of the Argentine Basin have been studied. Cold-water corals and other organisms form complex communities here, about which science until recently knew almost nothing. International cooperation made it possible not only to speed up identification but also to pass on experience to local specialists.
CONICET has one of the country's largest networks of taxonomists, yet preserving and developing these specialists requires constant support. Without regular expeditions and joint projects, many species risk remaining undescribed even after samples are collected.
Preserving scientific capacity in the field of marine taxonomy directly affects the country's ability to understand and protect its underwater resources.
