A newly discovered species of large predatory amphipod has been found at nearly 26,000 feet in the Atacama Trench of the eastern Pacific Ocean.
The shrimp-like creature, Dulcibella camanchaca, was recovered at a depth of 25,900 feet (7,902 meters) and is the first known large, active predator in this extreme environment.
The 1.57-inch (4-centimeter) amphipod, with specialized appendages for hunting, was identified during the 2023 Integrated Deep-Ocean Observing System (IDOOS) Expedition. This five-year project, led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Chile’s Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía (IMO), aims to explore the region’s tectonic and oceanographic processes.
The creature was named after “darkness” in the languages of the Andes peoples, in reference to the pitch-black depths it inhabits. The name “Dulcibella” also nods to Don Quixote’s Dulcinea del Toboso, the protagonist’s unattainable muse.
“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,” study co-lead author Johanna Weston, a hadal ecologist at WHOI, said.
Scientists collected four specimens using a special lander vehicle with baited traps. DNA analysis revealed that D. camanchaca not only represents a new species, but also a new genus, making it a significant discovery for oceanic biodiversity.
The Atacama Trench, which reaches depths of about 26,460 feet (8,065 meters) and spans 3,666 miles (5,900 kilometers) along the coasts of Peru and Chile, is one of Earth’s most remote and harsh environments. This area is home to a variety of unique species that thrive under intense pressure and darkness, far removed from other hadal habitats.
“More discoveries are expected as we continue to study the Atacama Trench,” Carolina González, a researcher with the IMO and co-lead author of the study, said.