The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census says it has discovered a total of 866 new marine species.
“The ocean covers 71% of our planet, yet it is said that only around 10% of marine life has been discovered so far, leaving an estimated 1–2 million species still undocumented,” Nippon Foundation executive director Mitsuyuki Unno said, representing the founding partner of the Ocean Census.
“These latest findings demonstrate how international collaboration can advance our understanding of ocean biodiversity,” Unno said.
Sponge Janulum Photo: The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census Michelle Kelly
The identification and official registration of a new species can take up to 13.5 years—meaning some species may go extinct before they are even documented.
To address this, the Nippon Foundation and Nekton jointly launched the Ocean Census in April 2023 to transform species discovery, accelerating the identification of marine life to close critical knowledge gaps before it’s too late.
The Nippon Foundation of Tokyo, Japan, is a private, non-profit grant-making organisation, which was established in 1962 by Ryōichi Sasakawa.
The Ocean Census global alliance says it has conducted 10 global expeditions and hosted eight species discovery workshops, awarding 19 species discovery awards to taxonomists worldwide.
New species of shark, sea butterfly, mud dragon, bamboo coral, water bear, octocoral, sponge, shrimp, crab, reef fish, squat lobster, pipehorse, limpet, hooded shrimp, sea spiders and brittle stars—encompassing dozens of taxonomic groups—have been registered to the Ocean Census Biodiversity Data Platform (formerly referred to as the Cyber-biodiversity System).
Sea Star Tylaster Photo: The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census Martin Hartley
Developed in partnership with the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, it is now accessible to researchers and the public alike.
Using divers, submersibles, and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), new species have been identified from depths of 1 to 4,990 meters, with analysis conducted by collaborating scientists from the Ocean Census Science Network, the partnership says.
Three notable discoveries include:
Guitar Shark – Identified at around 200m depths off Mozambique and Tanzania by world-renowned shark expert David Ebert, also known as the ‘Lost Shark Guy’ (Ocean Census Species Discovery Awardee). This is only the 38th known guitar shark species worldwide, a group so at-risk that two-thirds of its species are threatened.
Turridrupa magnifica – A marine gastropod discovered at 200–500m depths off New Caledonia and Vanuatu by Dr. Peter Stahlschmidt (University of Landau, Germany). Turrid gastropods possess venomous “harpoons” used to catch prey, producing peptides with potential applications in pain relief and cancer treatment. A drug used to treat chronic pain was originally developed from a related snail family, underscoring the biotechnological promise of new ocean life.
New octocoral – Found in the Maldives by Aishath Sarah Hashim & Aminath Nasath Shanaan (Maldives Marine Research Institute) and Asako K Matsumoto (Chiba Institute of Technology; The University Museum, the University of Tokyo).
There are only five known species of this genus. Additionally, this is the first record genus from the Maldives It highlights the diversity yet to be discovered. Octocorals provide essential habitat for marine life and play a key role in reef stability and nutrient cycling.
Prof Lucy Woodall, Head of Science at Ocean Census, said that “too many species remain in limbo for years because the process of formally describing them is too slow”.
“We urgently need to change that and adding the “Species Discovery” step gives us a way to rapidly start the process. Every new species—whether a shark or a sponge—deepens our understanding of marine ecosystems and the benefits they provide for the planet,” she said.
Limpet Cocculina Photo: The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census Martin Hartley
“The past two years have been transformative for the Ocean Census: we’ve pioneered new methods, forged key partnerships, established a global network of participating scientists, and overcome the hurdles of a truly global mission,” said Oliver Steeds, Ocean Census director.
“Our estimates suggest that discovering 100,000 new species could require at least US$1 billion. We are laying the groundwork to make large-scale species discovery a reality, but our impact will ultimately be determined by how this knowledge is used to support marine protection, climate adaptation, and biodiversity conservation,” he said.
