Rarely unknown marine species spotted by researchers in the Indian Ocean – See images

Rare marine species have been discovered by scientists in the Indian Ocean.

As the Guardian reports, researchers studied the waters around the Cocos Islands and spotted giant underwater mountains and deep-sea animals with black skin and mouths with sharp, transparent fangs.

“This area of ​​the world is so rarely studied,” Dr Michelle Taylor from the University of Essex and president of the Society for Deep-Sea Biology told the Guardian.

“The real stars of the show are the fish,” said Dr Tim O’Hara, from the Museum Victoria Research Institute.

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“There are blind eels and three-legged fish, ax fish and dragon fish, with bioluminescent organs. It’s just amazing.”

Among the vast biodiversity found by the scientists, the “bat” fish was the highlight.

It sits on the bottom spread out like a… pancake and moves thanks to two stubby fins that act as legs.

In fact, it waves a tiny bulb-like “bait” tucked into a cavity in its snout to trick would-be prey.

The researchers also discovered a previously unknown blind eel, collected from a depth of 5,000 meters, covered in gelatinous, transparent skin.

At the same time they caught ancient shark teeth with the sampling net that they dropped to the bottom of the ocean.

“They belonged to giant sharks that lived millions of years ago,” O’Hara explained.

The team also discovered a vast seascape, including huge submerged volcanoes, 5,000 meters high.

Using high-resolution sonar, the team created detailed 3D maps of the seafloor and discovered several smaller, previously unknown seamounts.

IMAGE SOURCE: (Benjamin Healley) – (Ben Healley, Museums Victoria)

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