Dragons, sea toads and the longest creature ever seen found on undersea peaks off South America

Underwater mountains are biodiversity hotspots and researchers exploring the Salas y Gomez ridge off Chile have found 50 species probably new to science. How much more has yet to be discovered?

• Photographs by ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute

Squat lobsters, bright red sea toads and deep-sea dragon fish were among more than 160 species never previously seen in the region that were spotted on a recent expedition exploring an underwater mountain range off the coast of South America. Researchers from the California-based Schmidt Ocean Institute believe that at least 50 of those species are likely to be new to science.

A Chaunax (member of the sea toad family) found to the south of Rapa Nui, near the western end of the Salas y Gomez ridge