New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) has just announced the discovery of strange creatures in the Kermadec Trench area in the country’s northern waters, National Geographic magazine reported.

NIWA researchers conducted a three-week expedition at depths ranging from 700 – 1,500m in four different marine habitats from hydrothermal vents to submarine volcanoes, continental slopes and entire underwater canyon within about 10,000 km ² of the Kermadec Trench.

According to niwa.co.nz, there are currently about 50 underwater volcanoes stretching along the Kermadec Trench. It is an important feature in the Western Pacific Ocean, stretching nearly 1,500km to the edge of New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone – located northeast of the Kermadec Islands.

As for hydrothermal vents – located next to underwater volcanoes, they often spew out water heated by geothermal heat. This is home to many complex biological communities that are nourished by chemicals dissolved in this water.

Polychaete marine worms are found at a depth of 1,200m, in the northern waters of New Zealand.

“This marine survey was exciting as we discovered strange creatures while filming underwater and collecting biological samples at the Tangaroa hydrothermal vent and in other habitats in the trench Kermadec,” said biologist Malcolm Clark, leader of the research team.

The research team has collected thousands of biological samples, of which about 10% are believed to be new species to the scientific community or newly discovered in New Zealand.

“Overall, we found that the biological communities and biodiversity in the four marine habitats mentioned above are different ,” Dr. Clark added via email to National Geographic. Mr. Clark revealed that the purpose of the expedition is : “to find out what marine creatures live there and from there study how vulnerable they are to human activities such as fishing or fishing.” ocean mineral exploitation”.

Below are strange creatures discovered in the Kermadec Trench area, New Zealand waters:

Uroptychus shrimp, lives at depths from 650m – 1,400m.

Yellow “snake sea stars” Asteroschema bidwillae at a depth of 1,220m.

A species of squid at a depth of 900m.

Hairy crab Trichopeltarion janetae at a depth of 900m.

Cup-shaped coral Stephanocyathus platypus at a depth of 1,000m.

Atolla deep-sea jellyfish lives at a depth of 1,500m.

Idiacanthus black arowana.

A new species of sea slug at a depth of 1,250m.