Scientists have identified more than 1,100 previously unknown marine species, expanding understanding of ocean biodiversity and strengthening efforts to protect life beneath the waves worldwide.
“More than a thousand new marine species discovered in a single year is not just a scientific achievement – it is a reminder of how much there still is to know, and why discovery matters now,” said Mitsuyuku Unno, Executive Director of The Nippon Foundation.
The discoveries were made through the Ocean Census, a global initiative that conducted 13 expeditions and 9 species-discovery workshops across some of the world’s least-explored marine environments. Researchers documented 1,121 new species in a single year, including fish, corals, crustaceans, worms and deep-sea invertebrates, increasing the annual rate of marine species identification by 54%. Scientists estimate that only around 240,000 marine species have been formally identified so far. At the same time, millions more may remain undiscovered, making the findings an important step towards conservation, climate resilience and a better understanding of ocean ecosystems.
