Archive · 18 Jun 2025
Tiny Predator Discovered Deep in Ocean Trench Off Chile
Deep in the ocean, scientists found a tiny new predator!
It's a small crustacean, like a shrimp, only about four centimeters long.
They named it Dulcibella camanchaca, which means 'darkness' in a local language.
It lives in the deepest part of the ocean, called the Atacama Trench, where it's very dark and the pressure is incredibly high.
This creature uses special limbs to catch and eat other small creatures.
Scientists discovered it during a deep ocean survey and are excited because it shows there's still much to discover in the ocean.
Scientists discovered a new predator crustacean in the Atacama Trench.
The crustacean, named Dulcibella camanchaca, is only four centimeters long.
It lives at a depth of 26,246 feet, withstanding extreme pressure.
The predator hunts smaller crustaceans using raptorial appendages.
Researchers conducted the study and published findings in Systematics and Biodiversity.
- Who
- Researchers at the Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía (IMO) and Johanna Weston.
- What
- Discovery of a new predator crustacean, Dulcibella camanchaca.
- When
- Samples were collected in 2023.
- Where
- Atacama Trench, off the coast of Chile.
- Why
- To explore the deep ocean and discover new species.
- Creature Name
- Dulcibella camanchaca
- Length
- 4 centimeters
- Habitat
- Atacama Trench
- Depth
- 26,246 feet
- Pressure Resistance
- Up to 800x land pressure
- Study Publication
- Systematics and Biodiversity