Ocean Census

Some standout marine moments from the #SouthSandwichIslands expedition with @SchmidtOcean. An Ocean Census Species Discovery Workshop is coming up this August to analyse the samples collected on board the expedition. Initial expedition findings: oceancensus.org/press-release-…

“Sponges are among the least studied organisms in Peru, along with many others that at first glance seem to have no significant importance to humans. As a result, the biodiversity of our country is highly undervalued.” Read the article oceancensus.org/more-than-just…

A fascinating new study published this week in @Nature confirms that deep-sea ecosystems across the global ocean are remarkably connected. The paper uncovers evolutionary links among brittle stars that stretch across entire ocean basins! Read the article: nature.com/articles/s4158…

At the end of the recent species discovery workshop at @UCNorte in Chile, scientists were gifted with beautiful models of their marine specialism, handcrafted by the talented Soy de Lanita. 💭If you could have a crochet creature, what would it be?

#SouthSandwichIslands with @oceancensus ~ Gorgonocephalus chilensis (brittle star or Ophiuroid distantly related to sea stars), w/amphipods and Sterecchinus neumayeri (urchin) hanging on a coral. Special thanks to @echinoblog for species IDs!

This siphonophore, from the genus Bathyphysa, has a fantastic common name - the flying spaghetti monster! Filmed by @SchmidtOcean during an expedition in July last year, this encounter was a beautiful moment as the team were exploring the seamounts of the Nazca Ridge.

Of the 1,300 shark species known, 25% have been discovered in the last 20 years. With more than a third of sharks and rays at threat of extinction, the race is on to bring these lost sharks out of the shadows Watch the full film: youtu.be/xYuTXE2Ovmk @lostsharksguy

Moroteuthopsis longimana, #SouthSandwichIslands, 1207 m ~ The 35-day deep-sea expedition w/ @oceancensus to one of the most remote island chains in the world observed thriving polar ecosystems, discovered new hydrothermal vents, coral gardens, and many suspected new species.

New Short Film Release | Shark Awareness Day In celebration of #SharkAwarenessDay, we’re excited to share a powerful new short film by Ocean Census, filmed at NRF-SAIAB and in Tanzania. Watch the full film on Ocean Census' YouTube channel: youtube.com/watch?v=xYuTXE…

LostSharks | Day 3 Cowley’s Torpedo Ray (Tetronarce cowleyi) was once misidentified — until Dr. Dave Ebert recognized it as a new species during his Ph.D. Named in 2015 after fellow ichthyologist Paul Cowley Ocean Census film launches Today (14 July) midday!

The Shichiyo seamounts, off the coast of Japan, are a data-poor yet biologically significant region. The #Shinkai6500 team reached a depth of 1059m, collecting biological samples for analysis at an upcoming Species Discovery Workshop. Specimens included a sea pen (Pennatulacea).

That's a wrap on the third Ocean Census Species Discovery Workshop at @UCNorte in Chile! A huge thank you to our participating scientists for your expertise, along with the support and organisation from @esmoi_ucn. New species of sponges and octocorals pending...!

Prof. Juan Sanchez (@biommar, @Uniandes) is at the Ocean Census workshop in Chile, identifying new species of octocorals. Working alongside Asako Matsumoto, fellow octocoral specialist, he’s leading efforts to discover potential new species. Coral images @SchmidtOcean

That’s a wrap on the Crustacean Society Summer Meeting 2025! It’s been a fantastic week connecting with the global crustacean science community in #Paris. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing the mission of the Ocean Census with experts in #crustacean biology.