Indian Ocean Marine Census Discovers 347 New Species Including New Coral Type

The Indian Ocean Marine Census, a five-year multinational research project led by India's National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), has concluded with the discovery of 347 previously unknown marine species. The findings, published in a series of papers in Marine Biology and Ocean Science journals, include a new type of deep-sea coral, 23 species of fish, 89 species of invertebrates, and numerous microorganisms.

Notable Discoveries

The most significant discovery is a new genus of hard coral found at depths of 400-600 meters in the Lakshadweep Sea, which appears to thrive in warmer waters — contrary to the established understanding that deep-sea corals are vulnerable to temperature increases. This finding could have important implications for understanding coral adaptation to climate change.

Other notable discoveries include a bioluminescent jellyfish species near the Andaman Nicobar ridge that produces a previously unknown blue-green light protein, and a deep-sea shrimp species found near hydrothermal vents in the Central Indian Ridge that hosts symbiotic bacteria capable of chemosynthesis — a potential source of novel industrial enzymes.

"The Indian Ocean is the least explored of the major oceans, and yet it hosts incredible biodiversity. Our census has barely scratched the surface — we estimate thousands more species await discovery in deeper waters," said Dr. Thamban Meloth, Director of NIO Goa.

The census deployed 12 research vessels from eight countries over the five-year period, conducting 340 deep-sea dives using remotely operated vehicles and manned submersibles. India contributed three vessels and funded 45% of the project's $180 million budget. The genetic data from all discovered species has been uploaded to a public database to facilitate global research collaboration.