It is estimated that around 18,000 new animal species are discovered every year – an astounding figure that shows how little we really know about who or what is roaming our planet alongside us.

How are so many species still undiscovered?

Well, it’s safe to say we’re pretty familiar with the creatures that inhabit our town and cities – but there are still plenty of relatively unexplored corners of Planet Earth.

In the deepest jungles, beneath the ocean’s surface, and up the highest mountains, few enough humans have explored to truly understand the flora and fauna that thrive there.

But thanks to a recent voyage by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, we might be a little closer to understanding who lurks beneath the surface of our seas.

Over the course of a month, the CSIRO team explored Western Australia’s Gascoyne and Carnarvon Canyon Marine Parks.

Using technology on their research vessel, including nets and high-tech cameras, the team scanned thousands of meters below the water in the marine parks, capturing images and collecting species that were unrecognised, ready for identification, description, and cataloguing amongst Australia’s comprehensive aquatic collections.

Showing just how little we know about our marine ecosystems, the team were able to collect and describe many aquatic species for the first time, with one particular creature really attracting interest from both the researchers themselves, and the general public.

As identified in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy, the Carnavon Flapjack Octopus was a significant find. These creatures are unusual and fascinating, as Dr Tristan Verhoeff explained in a statement:

“This new species is a flapjack octopus, which is a type of cirrate or ‘dumbo’ octopus found in the deep ocean. It is a small octopus, with a body length up to 40 mm, and has an orange-brown colouration.

Dumbo octopus are a rare and unusual species that live on the seafloor. They reproduce and grow slowly, are very soft and gelatinous, and, unlike other octopus, they produce no ink and cannot change colour.”

The 4cm deep-sea octopus is one of fifteen types of dumbo octopus in Australian waters, and one of just 50 worldwide. They have big eyes, which helps them to spot their prey, which consists of worms and small crustaceans, thousands of meters below sea level.

Because they live so far below the surface, we don’t know too much about the species, except for its movement – the ability to arch up like an umbrella or flatten like a pancake (or flapjack).

The identification of the new species is not only interesting, but vital for the conservation of our planet’s important marine ecosystems. After all, until we understand something, how can we protect it?

Meanwhile, as Verhoeff continues, it’s clear that there are still abundant species that we don’t know and understand – and Australia, a hotbed for biodiversity, is just the beginning:

“Australia has a higher biodiversity of dumbo octopus species compared to other countries but many of these species have only been recorded or described in the past few years. The Carnarvon Flapjack Octopus, which was named for the location where it was found, is only known from the Carnarvon Canyon and Gascoyne Marine Parks off northwestern Australia. Its presence adds extra value to these recently established marine parks.

“This species discovery increases our understanding of Australia’s deep-sea ecology and biodiversity. Describing new species is also essential for future work on their ecology, and assessing populations for conservation.”

As worldwide efforts to protect all living things continues, research like this is vital for the future.

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