Chinese researchers discover new varieties of deep-sea brittle stars

Seven new species of deep-sea brittle stars have been discovered in the South China Sea and the Northwest Pacific Ocean by a research team led by Zhang Haibin, a researcher with the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering under the Chinese Academy of Sciences alongside other collaborators on the team.

Photo shows some of the new species of brittle stars discovered and named by a team of Chinese researchers. (Photo/Courtesy of the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering under the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Researchers identified a total of 36 brittle star species in 15 genera, seven families, and four orders from samples of brittle star species collected by China’s deep-sea manned submersible Deep Sea Warrior between 2016 and 2021. Among these brittle star species, seven were new species and 15 were found for the first time in the South China Sea and the Northwest Pacific Ocean. The research results have provided important data that has improved our scientific understanding of the biodiversity of deep-sea brittle star species inhabiting areas of the South China Sea and the Northwest Pacific Ocean.

Researchers have described and named the seven new species of brittle stars, with two of them being named after the Deep Sea Warrior.

With about 2,100 known varieties of brittle stars, the species represents the largest grouping of echinoderms and they are widely distributed throughout oceans all over the world. They mainly inhabit the bottom surface of the sea, while some will also attach themselves to corals and sponges.