Discovering the mesophotic fauna of Malpelo Ridge: biodiversity insights in a remote marine sanctuary

A recent study reveals that Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary harbors significantly higher fish biomass in its mesophotic ecosystems (30-150 m depth) than previously estimated. The research, conducted during the 2025 Mesophotic Scientific Expedition, identified six new fish species for the sanctuary, including olive grouper and misty grouper, suggesting deeper reef-associated habitats support substantial biodiversity. Additionally, the study documented 64 benthic megafaunal taxa and 33 fish taxa using remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveys and scientific diving, with over 90% of macrobenthic records representing new species for the region. The dataset, compliant with international standards, provides baseline information on mesophotic biodiversity in the Colombian Pacific, contributing to global repositories like OBIS and GBIF.

Cedeño-Posso, C., Chasqui, L., Lizarazo, N., Barrios-Vásquez, E., Osorno, A., Giraldo, D., Marín-Pulgarín, E., Sánchez, J., Lazarus, J. F., Borrero-Pérez, G., Vásquez Acosta, J. L., Florián-Sánchez, M. J., Caicedo-Amaranto, M., Rodríguez-Toscano, A., & Montoya-Cadavid, E. (2026). Discovering the mesophotic fauna of Malpelo Ridge: biodiversity insights in a remote marine sanctuary. Frontiers in Marine Science, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1879566