Scientists discover strange life on Antarctica's ocean floor
A team of scientists studying the Denman Glacier has uncovered several strange creatures living on the bottom of the Antarctic Ocean.
In the beginning of 2025, a team of scientists discovered a pristine underwater ecosystem in the Antarctic (Southern) Ocean after a large iceberg broke away from the massive continent.
Now, only a few months later, a new team of scientists exploring the Antarctic Ocean floor has captured and documented several strange species that call the cold floor home.
The crew on the RSV Nuyina is on a mission to study the effects of warming sea temperatures on the Denman Glacier.
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According to the Australian Antarctic Program website: “The Denman Glacier is one of the fastest retreating glaciers in East Antarctica, with the potential to increase global sea levels by 1.5 metres.”
Part of the team’s mission is also to study and reveal what life exists on the seafloor near the glacier to understand the biodiversity of species for future conservation.
Path the RSV Nuyina is taking to reach the Denman glacier on it's groundbreaking voyage. (Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division)
Scientists find "sea pigs," "butterflies" on ocean floor
Using a beam trawler, the team pulled up heavy mud containing several interesting bottom-dwelling creatures. A camera was also deployed to the ocean floor so the team could observe the creatures without disturbing them.
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Additionally, the ship is equipped with a specialized "wet well" which allows researchers to gently pull up small, fragile creatures from the water and into a tank where they can be collected and observed.
Scientists are able to observe and take care of captured specimens in aquariums onboard the RSV Nuyina. (Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division)
“Nobody has ever done this in this area—it is real ‘voyage of discovery’ stuff,” Craig Johnson, Senior Scientist and project lead for the benthic imagery team for the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science on the Denman Marine Voyage, said in a blog post published on April 4. “The silence in the room gives way to sounds of delight as all manner of animals come into view. Bloated sea pigs and other species of sea cucumber, brittle stars, and sea stars feed on the organic material in the sediment, while spectacular feather stars (crinoids), sponges, fan worms, hydroids, and sea whips (octocorals) filter their food from the water.”
This gelatinous-looking blob is called a "sea pig," and is a type of sea cucumber that was collected by scientists on the Antarctic ocean floor. (Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division)
One of the species that has garnered public attention is the sea pig. No, it isn’t an actual aquatic pig living on the bottom of the ocean; it’s a type of sea cucumber that was named for its pig-like appearance.
Another misnomer species the scientists collected is the sea butterfly. Called a butterfly for its fluttering appearance while swimming, this creature is actually a type of sea snail!
Called a "sea butterfly" for its fluttering appearance when swimming in the water, this creature collected by the team of scientists is a type of sea snail. (Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division)
Those who suffer from a fear of spiders may not want to know that large sea spiders were also collected from the ocean floor. Despite their creepy, spindly appearance, sea spiders are actually more closely related to crabs and crustaceans than to the arachnids we all know and (sometimes) love.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s news outlet, ABC News, some of the scientists onboard the vessel believe that some of the species they’ve collected and observed could be new to science.
In addition to this research, other teams on the RSV Nuyina are investigating how clouds are formed over the Antarctic Ocean.
The voyage will make its return to Hobart, Australia, in early May.
Written with files from ABC News and Live Science.
Thumbnail image supplied by the Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division.