In a groundbreaking discovery, Chinese scientists have unveiled a new species of vampire squid, marking only the second known species of this elusive deep-sea creature in the world.
Researchers from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, collected the specimen in September 2016 during an expedition in the South China Sea. The creature was found at depths ranging from 800 to 1,000 meters, a realm known for its darkness and high pressure.
The team conducted extensive morphological and phylogenetic analyses comparing the new specimen with the known species Vampyroteuthis infernalis. The results revealed significant differences in tail shape, lower beak structure, and the positioning of photophores—light-producing organs that aid these creatures in the depths of the ocean.
“Our findings indicate that this specimen represents a distinct species,” said Qiu Dajun, the study’s lead author. “The morphological differences, along with genetic data, show clear separation from Vampyroteuthis infernalis.”
Vampyroteuthis infernalis, first described by German marine biologist Carl Chun in 1903, inhabits depths of 600 to 900 meters in temperate and tropical regions of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. These environments are characterized by low oxygen concentrations, where the vampire squid has adapted unique survival strategies.
The newly identified species has been named Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis Qiu, Liu & Huang, sp. nov., reflecting its close yet distinct relationship to its well-known counterpart.
This discovery sheds new light on the biodiversity of the deep sea and opens avenues for further research into the adaptations of deep-sea organisms. The study has been published online in the journal Zoological Systematics.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
