Dragons, sea toads and the longest creature ever seen found on undersea peaks off South America

Underwater mountains are biodiversity hotspots and researchers exploring the Salas y Gómez ridge off Chile have found 50 species probably new to science. How much more has yet to be discovered?Photographs by ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean InstituteSquat lobsters, bright red sea toads and deep-sea dragon fish were among more than 160 species never previously seen in the region that were spotted on a recent expedition exploring an underwater mountain range off the coast of South America. Researchers from the California-based Schmidt Ocean Institute believe that at least 50 of those species are likely to be new to science.A Chaunax (member of the sea toad family) found to the south of Rapa Nui, near the western end of the Salas y Gómez ridge Continue reading...