Though it covers over 70% of our planet, we know startlingly little about what life is like below the surface of our oceans.

In fact, all our favorite marine animals – sharks and dolphins, turtles and rays, and all those pretty colored fish in our reefs – are either surface or upper sea level dwelling animals.

And so, when deep sea creatures are discovered – think the lantern fish that swam near the surface recently, or the iconic photographs of the blobfish – it’s big news.

That’s because deep sea creatures range between incredibly fascinating and ultra weird – because gravity and light and pressure are different down there. It’s no wonder that aquatic experts and regular fish fans alike are fascinated by them.

And as the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census continue to discover and catalogue new marine life en masse, a recent statement has sparked excitement around the world.

That’s because their huge census has, even in this short time, made some incredible discoveries, with 866 newly discovered marine species detailed by The Nippon Foundation and Nekton.

And with their census well underway, it is expected that the total will continue to rapidly rise, taking account of a huge number of species that remain undocumented, as The Nippon Foundation’s Executive Director Mitsuyuki Unno explained in the statement:

“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. These latest findings demonstrate how international collaboration can advance our understanding of ocean biodiversity.”

Among the newly documented species – discovered through a range of techniques including divers, submersibles and remote-control vehicles – include new species of crab and shrimp, fish and lobster, limpet and sea spiders, shark and coral.

Given the huge ramifications for our understanding of the world beneath our oceans, as well as the way that biodiversity is affected by the continuing effects of the human-made climate crisis, this research could not be more timely.

It is hoped by the researchers involved in the project that their accelerated discovery of new creatures – including a species of gastropod that produces peptides that could be intrinsic to future cancer treatments – will take the identification of marine species a huge step forward.

Until now, the process has been lengthy and challenging, with some species going extinct before being formally identified, as Professor Lucy Woodall, Head of Science at Ocean Census, continued:

“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.”

And the implications of their research could help not only save individual species, but entire ecosystems and – ultimately – our planet, as Oliver Steeds, Director of the Ocean Census, explained:

“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.”

As we continue to grapple with the effects of climate change, this project helps us to understand the delicate marine life that endures beneath our oceans, as well as how we can protect it.

And for those of us who spend little time below the surface, it’s fascinating to admire some of the weird and wonderful creatures we share our home planet with.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about why we should be worried about the leak in the bottom of the ocean.