Sea toad, spaghetti monster and ghost octopus: scientists have found new inhabitants of the deep (14 photos + 1 video)
The oceans cover almost 70 percent of our planet’s surface. Yet they remain poorly understood: 95 percent of our waters are still a mystery. Scientists recently traveled to the Nazca Ridge and discovered a huge underwater mountain teeming with life. 
The underwater mountain, more than 3 kilometers high — a third higher than Everest — is home to at least 20 previously unknown species. 
Incredible footage reveals creatures including sea toad, 'flying spaghetti monsters' and Casper the ghost octopus for the first time.
Sea toad
«Flying pasta monster"
Casper the Octopus
A new seamount was discovered by a team of oceanographers from the Schmidt Institute of Oceanology during their exploration of the Nazca Ridge, an underwater mountain range located 1,450 kilometers off the coast of Chile. Using underwater robots, the researchers were able to map this huge mountain and film some of the local fauna.
An untouched coral garden of about 800 square meters was discovered. m. It turns out that corals provide shelter to many unusual organisms, such as deep-sea beaked fish, brittle stars (Ophiuroides) and king crabs.
A New Species of Scorpionfish
Deep Sea Starfish
Deep Sea Royal crab
The researchers also captured a live squid of the genus Promachoteuthis on camera for the first time. The genus is so rare that only three species have been described from the few specimens collected, some dating back to the late 1800s. Other unusual creatures captured by the robot include Casper the Ghost Octopus and two “flying spaghetti monsters.”
Promachoteuthis squid captured live on camera for the first time
The expedition is the third to the region this year. The previous two recorded more than 150 new species.
Poliopogon sponge and shrimp
“Our third expedition covered about 25 seamounts in the Nazca and Salas y Gomez ridges,” says Tomer Ketter, lead scientist and marine technician at the Schmidt Institute of Oceanology. “We hope that the data we collect from these expeditions will help us develop effective policies to preserve these unique, pristine ecosystems for future generations.”
Tripod fish
Before the expeditions of the Schmidt Institute of Oceanology, 1019 species of animals were recorded in this part of the Pacific Ocean. Now their number exceeds 1300 and continues to grow.
Golden coral with squat lobster and starfish
"The seamounts of the south-east Pacific Ocean are incredibly diverse, with species found nowhere else today," says Professor Alex David Rogers, scientific director of the Ocean Census.
Mitsukuri spiny shark (Squalus mitsukurii)
Work carried out by species classification specialists aboard the research vessel Falkor will greatly enhance our understanding of the distribution of the amazing life forms on these seamounts. Among them are several species that have never been mapped or seen by the human eye before. The researchers hope that their findings will help unravel some of the mysteries lurking in the uncharted depths of the ocean.
A squat lobster of the genus Sternostylus, a newly identified species
“Discovering a new seamount over 3 kilometers high with a rich living ecosystem was very exciting,” said Jyotika Virmani, lead scientist and executive director of the Schmidt Institute of Oceanography. “Only 26% of the seafloor has been mapped at such high resolution, and each expedition on Falcor allows us to discover more areas of uncharted seafloor and better understand its inhabitants.”
