Characterization of deep-sea benthic invertebrate megafauna of the Galapagos Islands

A groundbreaking expedition to the Galapagos Islands revealed 30 previously undescribed deep-sea benthic invertebrate taxa, including five new genera (2 sponges and 3 cnidarians), marking a significant advancement in our understanding of this pristine yet understudied region. The research, conducted using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) system, explored depths ranging from 290 to 3,373 meters across seven sites, capturing over 85 hours of footage and collecting 90 specimens for analysis. The study documented diverse deep-sea communities, such as cold-water coral gardens and soft-sediment faunal assemblages, providing a baseline for assessing future impacts from climate change and anthropogenic pressures. These findings have directly informed the establishment of fully protected deep-water areas within the Galapagos Marine Reserve, aimed at preserving these unique ecosystems in an era of rapid environmental change.

Salinas-de-León, P., Martí-Puig, P., Buglass, S., Arnés-Urgellés, C., Rastoin-Laplane, E., Creemers, M., Cairns, S., Fisher, C., O’Hara, T., Ott, B., Raineault, N. A., Reiswig, H., Rouse, G., Rowley, S., Shank, T. M., Suarez, J., Watling, L., Wicksten, M. K., & Marsh, L. (2020). Characterization of deep-sea benthic invertebrate megafauna of the Galapagos Islands. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-70744-1