Punta Arenas, Chile - December 19, 2024 In a groundbreaking expedition, an international team of scientists has unveiled stunning biodiversity along Chile’s underexplored coastline, mapping four unnamed underwater canyons, discovering nearly 20 methane seep ecosystems, and documenting an extraordinary array of marine life — including what may be 60 new species. Aboard the R/V Falkor (too), the Schmidt Ocean Institute-led team journeyed for 55 days from Valparaíso to Punta Arenas, deploying advanced remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to capture real-time imagery of the seafloor. Using cutting-edge sonar and methane concentration mapping, they explored seeps both shallow and deep, revealing thriving ecosystems in previously unseen environments. Among the most striking discoveries was a commercially important red cusk-eel, Genypterus chilensis, swimming near a vast tubeworm mound. Long celebrated in Chilean culture and immortalized in Pablo Neruda’s poetry, the fish’s behavior near methane seeps raises questions about its reliance on these unique ecosystems. The team also surveyed massive submarine canyons, one spanning 2,000 square kilometers and plunging over 3,000 meters deep. These rugged canyons hosted habitat-building species like deep-sea corals and glass sponges, supporting life from octopuses to Humboldt squid. Other mesmerizing finds included glowing anglerfish, shimmering polychaete worms that captured social media attention, and clam beds sustained by chemosynthetic processes. “These exploratory expeditions are essential to understanding our planet,” said Dr. Patricia Esquete, co-leader of the mission. “We suspect at least 60 species new to science and will spend years confirming this.” The discoveries underscore the importance of protecting these hidden, fragile ecosystems. As Dr. Jyotika Virmani, Schmidt Ocean Institute’s executive director, emphasized: “What is out of sight should perhaps not be out of mind.”