Remote seamounts in the southeast Pacific may be home to 20 new species
The intersection of the Nazca and Salas y Gómez Ridges is a deep-sea biodiversity hot spot
A Chrysogorgia (golden coral) encountered by a robot diving along an unnamed Nazca Ridge seamount harbors other deep-sea species, including a Calliaster seastar and Lyrocteis ctenophore (yellow, gelatinous animals with trailing tentacles). Squat lobsters (Uroptychus sp.) may be a species new to science.
ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute