New Predatory Crustacean Discovered in Atacama Trench's Extreme Depths

Dulcibella camanchaca, a fast-swimming amphipod, is the first active predator of its kind identified in one of Earth's deepest oceanic trenches.

Scientists discovered Dulcibella camanchaca, a new species of predatory amphipod, nearly 8,000 meters deep in the Atacama Trench during a 2023 expedition.
This crustacean, measuring nearly 4 centimeters, uses specialized raptorial appendages to hunt smaller amphipods in the pitch-black, high-pressure environment.
Genetic and morphological analyses confirmed it as a new species and genus, highlighting the Atacama Trench as a hotspot for unique, endemic biodiversity.
Unlike most hadal zone species, which are scavengers, Dulcibella camanchaca actively preys on live animals, filling a rare ecological niche in the trench's food-limited ecosystem.
Researchers emphasize the importance of deep-ocean exploration to uncover more species and better understand these extreme environments, which face threats from climate change and pollution.