Flying 'spaghetti monsters' discovered under the water

A team of oceanographers exploring international waters with an underwater robot have confirmed the existence of flying spaghetti monsters.

The researchers, who were exploring the Nazca Ridge about 900 miles off the coast of Chile, say the two rare creatures – which are officially called "Bathyphysa siphonophores" – were among dozens of unusual and possible new species living around a previously-undiscovered underwater mountain.

According to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, which led the expedition, flying spaghetti monsters are carnivorous colonial organisms that live in the bathypelagic zone of the ocean, between 1,000 and 3,000 meters depth.

"A medusoid and polyp-like zooids combine to form the animal's body, which can be several meters long with tentacles," the institute explained. "Zooids are multicellular units that develop from a single fertilized egg. They combine to form colonies where each zooid performs a necessary job — reproduction, digestion, flotation, and body positioning. Talk about teamwork!"

Among the team's other findings was a "pristine coral garden" the size of three tennis courts, sheltering an entire community of rockfish, brittle stars and king crabs.

The team also captured first camera footage of a live Promachoteuthis squid -- a creature so rare, only three species have been described based on only a few collected specimens, several of which are from the late 1800s. Until now, the squid has only been characterized from dead samples found in nets.

Researchers also documented a Casper octopus, the first time this species has been seen in the Southern Pacific.

"Our findings highlight the remarkable diversity of these ecosystems, while simultaneously revealing the gaps in our understanding of how the seamount ecosystems are interconnected," Tomer Ketter, co-chief scientist and Schmidt Ocean Institute marine technician, said in a statement. "We hope the data gathered from these expeditions will help inform future policies, safeguarding these pristine environments for future generations."

The Nazca Ridge, an underwater mountain chain, along with the adjoining Salas y Gómez Ridge, is one of several global locations under consideration for designation as a high seas marine protected area. This was the team's third exploration this year. Two previous expeditions in January and February documented over 150 previously unknown species and numerous range extensions for animals not previously known to live on the ridge. An additional 20 suspected new species were collected during this expedition.

Prior to Schmidt Ocean Institute's expeditions this year, 1,019 species were known to live in this portion of the Pacific Ocean. The number now exceeds 1,300 and is growing. The records will be sent to the Ocean Census, an international alliance led by the Nippon Foundation and Nekton to accelerate the discovery and protection of ocean life.

"The seamounts of the Southeastern Pacific host remarkable biological diversity, with species found nowhere else to date," said Prof. Alex David Rogers, Science Director of Ocean Census. "The work our taxonomists have conducted aboard Falkor (too), supported by Schmidt Ocean Institute team, will significantly enhance our understanding of the distribution of remarkable life forms on these underwater mountains, including several that have never before been mapped or seen by human eyes."