Deep-sea creature — with 5 elongated arms — is a ‘beautiful’ new species. See it
While exploring the depths of the ocean off the coast of Japan, scientists caught a glimpse of a five-armed yellow creature situated among a rocky ground.
The researchers were searching for wildlife in the ocean’s “mesophotic” region, which is considered the upper level of the deep-sea between about 100 feet and 500 feet underwater, according to a study published Jan. 18 in the journal Zootaxa.
The mesophotic has “reduced” sunlight and temperature, experts said. But evidence suggests it could be home to an abundance of wildlife, including the yellow creature the team spotted — which turned out to be a new species.
The new species, known as Churaumiastra hoshi, was named after the Churaumi Okinawa Aquarium, scientists said. Churaumi translates to “beautiful sea,” “-astra” is the feminine word for star and “hoshi” is the Japansese word meaning star. The creature’s name alludes to its “strikingly” star-like appearance.
Researchers examined eight specimens of the new species: five were used for analysis and three were kept to display at the aquarium in Okinawa. Of the eight collected specimens, four were found near Okinawa, four were collected from near the Philippines and one was found off the coast of Western Australia.
The starfish have a flat, star-shaped body with five elongated triangular arms, according to experts. The creatures are covered with “dense” granules forming a “smooth, almost featureless” “pavement like covering.”
Specimens varied in color depending on where they were found, but they had a “consistent” pattern, scientists said.
The Japanese specimen had “yellow triangular areas” on its arms and was white in the middle, researchers said. Where the Japanese creature was yellow, the Australian specimen was orange. Instead of a white center, the Australian specimen had a yellow center.
Photos of each specimen show the variations in color and the corn-on-the-cob-like pattern covering their five arms.
Scientists said the Japanese specimen was discovered on what appeared to be “a coarse, rocky” ground near “what appeared to be an octocoral” — a type of invertebrate. The Australian specimen was found on sponges in a “coarse, pebbly” area. Experts think octocorals and sponges are possible prey for the new species.
This story was originally published January 22, 2024 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Deep-sea creature — with 5 elongated arms — is a ‘beautiful’ new species. See it."
