New species of fish discovered in ocean trench near NZ

New species of fish discovered in ocean trench near NZ

Source: nzherald

2/4/2013

New species of fish discovered in ocean trench near NZ

An expedition to one of the deepest ocean trenches has discovered a new species of fish and another not previously caught in the southwest Pacific, giving scientists a better understanding of biodiversity in the deep seas around New Zealand.

Niwa scientists working with colleagues from the University of Aberdeen and Te Papa Museum discovered a new species of eelpout and new records of a rattail fish that has not previously been caught in the southwest Pacific on a recent voyage to the Kermadec Trench.

They also found a rattail that has not been caught in New Zealand waters for more than 100 years, a large deep-sea cusk eel and large numbers of amphipods, such as marine sand-hoppers.

Niwa principal scientist Dr Malcolm Clark said the voyage was part of a continuing series to investigate how the biodiversity in the trench differed from that at shallower depths and in other trench systems.