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Ocean Census Discovers New Fish
More than 600 new species of fish have been discovered by a major ocean census and thousands more may be lurking undetected.
By Julianna Kettlewell
BBC News Online staff
Thursday, 23 October, 2003 |
Some 300 scientists from 53 countries are creating a record of all known marine life, in a project reminiscent of an aquatic Domesday Book.
The 10-year Census of Marine Life project will form an open database of raw material available to everyone.
It will pinpoint endangered animals and suggest how to protect them.
Pole to pole
So far, 15,304 species of fish have been logged. Between 2,000 and 3,000 more are expected to join the list before the census ends in 2010 — and many will be previously unknown species.
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Apart from cataloguing species diversity, distribution and abundance, the census will explain how ocean life changes over time and in the face of human activity.
Extending from pole to pole and covering virtually every ocean, the Census of Marine Life (CoML) is easily the most ambitious and costly project of its kind.
Much of the $1bn bill will be footed by the Alfred P Sloan Foundation — a philanthropic non-profit organisation — and individual governments.
The unknown ocean
The census is divided into seven parts. As well as Pacific shorelines and the North Atlantic sea floor, scientists are examining the Gulf of Maine, hydrothermal vents, coastal salmon runs, the world wide habits of large fish and mammals, and animals of the abyss.
The first census report just published outlines how the understanding of these seven topics has advanced since the initiative began three years ago.
One 'hot pot' of discovery has been the deep waters off Angola.
Researchers exploring the abyssal sediments found an environment with more species per area than any other known aquatic environment on Earth.
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About 500 of the species collected are thought to be new to science.
Experts hope that the research will improve understanding of the relationship between deep-sea species diversity and the richness of food in the water column.
The report also highlights the habits of young salmon during the sea dwelling stage of their lives, challenging conventional ideas about their survival.
"Most of the attention on salmon has been in rivers," Mike Vecchione, a scientist at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, told BBC News Online.
"But the census has found that most deaths of young salmon occur in the open ocean. This information may be key to maintaining their populations."
Long journey
This is not the first survey into marine life. Numerous catalogues of aquatic creatures are available to the public, but the Census of Marine Life claims to be a league apart.
"Most other marine surveys concentrate on commercially important species or charismatic animals like sharks or whales, but we are casting our net far wider," said Jesse Ausubel, Program Director of CoML.
Over the next seven years, the census hopes to bring the number of marine species on the database to well over 210,000.
They also plan to establish pharmaceutical uses for some of the new species discovered.
Less than 14 kilometres off the Florida Keys, scientists recently discovered a new species — perhaps even a new genus — of sponge, which has been nicknamed the 'Rasta sponge'.
Chemical compounds found in the sponge may help treat cancerous tumours.
But those involved in the census acknowledge they are still at the beginning of a very long voyage.
"Some 95% of the ocean is still unexplored biologically. We don't know what that figure will be in 2010, but we hope it will be much smaller," Mr Ausubel said.
"We hope we will have visited and sampled all the major domains of the ocean.
We are at the start of a great adventure, like going to the Moon.
But we know more about the surface of the Moon."
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Saturday, 30 August, 2003   New species uncovered in Venezuela
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Further evidence crabs and other crustaceans feel pain
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By Rebecca Morelle
Science reporter, BBC World Service
17 January 2013 Scientists have found further evidence that crustaceans feel pain. A study has revealed that the shore crab, a close relative of the species we use for food, responds to electric shocks and then goes on to avoid them. |
Crabs close up
Prof Elwood said:
"Those crabs shocked in the previous trial were much more likely to switch shelters than those who hadn't been shocked in the previous trial.
Just two experiences produced a significant switch in behaviour.
They leave what is a desired place — a dark shelter — to go out into this dangerous light environment — they are giving up something very valuable."
The crustaceans were placed back in the arena another eight times, and although there were no more shocks, they continued to avoid the shelter where they had been sparked.
The scientists concluded that this was more than a simple reflex reaction to pain, and that the animals were learning from their experience and this was driving their future choices.
Animal welfare
Earlier work by the same team has also revealed that prawns and hermit crabs display behaviour that is consistent with our perception of pain.
They say they now believe that all decapod crustaceans — a group that also includes lobsters and crayfish — would show the same response.
Prof Elwood said that there were currently no regulations to protect the welfare of these animals.
He pointed to practices in some fisheries where claws are cut from live crabs before the animals are thrown back into the sea.
"You see these practices and you really do have to question whether they are reasonable... Even if you are reluctant to believe the data as being strongly suggestive [that the animals experience pain], is it worthwhile imposing this on billions of animals ever year throughout the world?"
Commenting on the research, Dr Lynne Sneddon, a senior lecturer at the University of Chester and the University of Liverpool, said the research was "thorough" and had been "carried out well".
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Her research has focused on pain in fish, and said there were further avenues that the team could explore with crustaceans.
She said:
"You could look to see whether there are any changes in gene expression, electrical activity or hormone release that is different from non-painful stimulation."
But a spokesman for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said that while the organisation had concluded that fish could feel pain, in the EU, decapods were not classified as sentient species.
He said the subject of pain in crustaceans was "controversial" and a matter of data interpretation.
However, he added that in an earlier report about animals in laboratories the EFSA had recommended improving the welfare for these animals.
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Africa rain forests cut and destroyed Earth's most beautiful work, the forests of Africa |
Amazon destruction speeds up Deforestation underestimated by at least 60% Drought in the Amazon basin |
Extreme drought in Amazon rainforest linked to deforestation and climate change The trouble has been that while traditional aerial images can show areas that have been completely destroyed, they do not reveal selective logging of valuable trees such as mahogany.
Brazilian officials praised the scientists for highlighting the issue of selective logging, but said the new figures were hard to believe. Clock ticking for Indonesian rainforest Deforestation across the world Amazon 'stealth' logging revealed |
For archive purposes, this article is being stored on TheWE.name website.The purpose is to advance understandings of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. |
We are at the start of a great adventure, like going to the moon 
Jesse Ausubel
The Caura River Basin requires immediate and urgentprotection as a wildlife reserve
