Scientists estimate there may be between 700,000 and 1 million species in the ocean (which doesn’t include millions of microorganisms). Roughly two-thirds of these species—and possibly more—have yet to be discovered or officially described. These animals have their own inherent value, and also have important roles in the ecosystem. How can we manage or protect them if we don’t know they exist? That’s why we work with partners to explore the ocean and discover new species. In fact, NOAA Fisheries scientists have discovered dozens of species over the years, including fish, sharks, whales, and invertebrates. Follow along all this week as we talk about these new kids on the block—how we discovered them, what makes them unique, and why they’re important.
Why is it important to explore our world’s oceans? NOAA marine biologist Allen Collins explains:
Features
Meet the Integral Jellyfish: National Systematics Laboratory Zoologist Helps Describe New Species
Japanese student Ryoya Sugimoto, Dr. Takato Izumi of Fukuyama University, and Dr. Allen Collins of the National Systematics Laboratory have described a new species off the coast of Japan.
Learn more about this new Japanese invertebrate
New Research Reveals Full Diversity of Killer Whales as Two Species Come into View on Pacific Coast
Long viewed as one worldwide species, killer whale diversity now merits more.
Two well-known killer whales in the North Pacific Ocean are separate species
NOAA Fisheries Zoologist Describes New Fish Species
Dr. Katherine Bemis of the National Systematics Laboratory recently helped describe a new species of fish, the papillated redbait.
This species was discovered in a fish market in the Philippines
Bottlenose Dolphins Along the East Coast Proposed to be a Different Species
Scientists propose that the coastal form of common bottlenose dolphins found along the U.S. East Coast is a different species, distinct from the offshore form of common bottlenose dolphins.
Dolphins living nearshore are different than those offshore
A Magnificent New Sponge from the Deep Gets a Name
In a newly published paper, scientists identified and named a new genus and species of sponge: Advhena magnifica. It was sampled and seen during missions in the Pacific on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer.
Read about the sponge discovered in the Forest of the Weird
NOAA Scientists Virtually Discover New Species of Comb Jelly Near Puerto Rico
The comb jellies were recorded two and a half miles below sea level using NOAA's Deep Discoverer remotely operated vehicle.
Read about the first species to ever be identified only through high-definition video
Landmark Research Shows Endangered River Dolphins in Asia Two Different Species
Tissue collection at NOAA Fisheries lab helps reveal genetic distinction.
Learn about the analysis that confirmed the differences in the two dolphin species
Scientists Find Mystery Killer Whales off Cape Horn, Chile
Genetic samples the team collected will help determine whether this animal, with its distinctly different color pattern and body shape, is indeed new to science.
Learn about the journey to confirm this new species
Tiny Shark Fits in Your Pocket and Glows in the Dark
A team of researchers, including NOAA Fisheries' scientist Mark Grace, have now identified a new species of kitefin shark as the American Pocket Shark.
Clues At Fish Auction Reveal Several New Species Of Opah
Fish buyer Garrett Kitazaki noticed differences in the fish being sold at United Fishing Agency auction house in Honolulu.
Different opah species distinguished by eye size, fin length, and other measurements
New Species Named After NOAA Fisheries Scientist Matthew Craig
A newly identified grouper species in the South China Sea has been named in honor of Southwest Fisheries Science Center research geneticist Matthew Craig.
What’s it like to have a species named after you?
Multimedia
Searching for Type D: A New Species of Killer Whale?
In January, 2019, an experienced group of killer whale biologists launched an expedition from the southern tip of Chile into some of the roughest waters in the world, searching for what could be a new species of killer whale.
Combing the Deep: NOAA’s Discovery of a New Ctenophore
On an underwater expedition off the coast of Puerto Rico in 2015, led by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, scientists discovered a new species of comb jelly. It is the first species solely identified through high-definition video.
The Indus River Dolphin: A Redefined Species
For years, many have raised a question about whether river dolphins in South Asia—which live on either side of the Indian sub-continent—are the same species or not. New analysis by an international team has answered this once and for all.
