Ducibella camanchaca is a fast-swimming predator researchers named after “darkness.” At nearly 4cm in length, this crustacean uses specialised raptorial appendages to capture and prey upon smaller amphipod species. The newly discovered crustacean is the first large, active predatory amphipod from the extreme depths of Atacama Trench. Credit: Johanna Weston, ©Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Reasearchers led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have discovered a new ocean predator in the Atacama Trench.
Characterised by darkness and intense pressure, the ocean’s hadal zone seems uninhabitable, yet dozens of unique organisms call it home.
Each species discovered there adds a crucial piece to the puzzle of how life has evolved and even thrives in one of Earth’s most extreme environments.
A new study highlights one of those species – the newly named Dulcibella camanchaca.
This crustacean is the first large, active predatory amphipod from these extreme depths.
The species was discovered by scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía (IMO)based at the Universidad de Concepción, Chile.
Study co-lead author Dr Johanna Weston, a hadal ecologist at WHOI, explained: “Dulcibella camanchaca is a fast-swimming predator that we named after ‘darkness’ in the languages of the peoples from the Andes region to signify the deep, dark ocean from where it predates.”
Ducibella camanchaca causes specialised raptorial appendages to capture and prey upon smaller amphipod species in the Atacama Trench’s food-limited realm. The trench stretches along the eastern South Pacific Ocean, plunging to depths exceeding 8,000 metres. CREDIT: Johanna Weston, ©Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Raptorial appendages
At nearly 4cm in length, this crustacean uses specialised raptorial appendages to capture and prey upon smaller amphipod species in the Atacama (Peru-Chile) Trench’s food-limited realm.
The trench stretches along the eastern South Pacific Ocean, plunging to depths exceeding 8,000m off the coast of northern Chile, and has long fascinated scientists.
Located beneath nutrient-rich and productive surface waters and geographically remote from other hadal environments, the Atacama Trench hosts a distinctive community of native species.
Weston said: “Most excitingly, the DNA and morphology data pointed to this species being a new genus too, emphasising the Atacama Trench as an endemic hotspot.”
This remarkable finding is part of the 2023 Integrated Deep-Ocean Observing System (IDOOS) Expedition aboard the R/V Abate Molina, led by scientists from IMO.
Four Dulcibella camanchaca individuals were collected at a depth of 7,902m using a lander vehicle, which is an untethered platform used for carrying scientific equipment, including baited traps, to and from the ocean floor.
Once safely back on the ship’s deck, recovered amphipods were frozen and then underwent detailed morphological and genetic analysis at the Universidad de Concepción.
Ongoing discoveries
Co-lead author Dr Carolina González, from the IMO responsible for sample collection and DNA analysis, said: “This study’s collaborative effort and integrative approach confirmed Dulcibella camanchaca as a new species and highlights ongoing biodiversity discoveries in the Atacama Trench.
“This finding underlines the importance of continued deep-ocean exploration, particularly in Chile’s front yard.
“More discoveries are expected as we continue to study the Atacama Trench.”
As exploration technology advances, scientists anticipate uncovering more species, each offering insights into the evolutionary pressures and adaptations unique to the deep ocean.
The results of this study will contribute to broader efforts to understand deep-ocean ecosystems and protect them from emerging threats, such as pollution and climate change.
The research is published in Systematics and Biodiversity.
