Deep beneath the waves of the South China Sea, Chinese mainland researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery: a new species of vampire squid! This marks only the second known species of vampire squid in the world.
In September 2016, a dedicated team from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, collected a mysterious specimen at depths between 800 and 1,000 meters.
After conducting detailed morphological and phylogenetic analyses, the team found significant differences compared to the existing Vampyroteuthis infernalis. Notable variations include the shape of the tail, the structure of the lower beak, and the positioning of photophores.
Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial COI and nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA sequences confirmed that this specimen is distinctly separate from V. infernalis. \"V. infernalis was first described by German marine biologist Carl Chun in 1903,\" explained lead author Qiu Dajun. \"They typically inhabit depths of 600 to 900 meters in the temperate and tropical Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans, where oxygen levels are low.\"
The newly identified species has been named Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis Qiu, Liu & Huang, sp. nov. The study was published online in the journal Zoological Systematics, adding a fascinating chapter to our understanding of deep-sea biodiversity.
This marks only the second known species of vampire squid in the world.
The study was published online in the journal Zoological Systematics, adding a fascinating chapter to our understanding of deep-sea biodiversity.
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