Overview
- ROV SuBastian recorded Stygiomedusa gigantea at roughly 250–253 meters in the Colorado‑Rawson submarine canyon, an observation of a species documented only about 118–120 times.
- The Argentinian‑led mission aboard R/V Falkor (too) surveyed the coast from Buenos Aires toward Tierra del Fuego, capturing extensive imagery and collecting chemical, physical, biological samples.
- Researchers reported 28 suspected new species and mapped the largest‑known Bathelia candida reef at about 0.4 square kilometers, along with several additional reef complexes.
- The team documented a one‑square‑kilometer active cold seep, ancient bubblegum coral gardens, and Argentina’s first deep‑water whalefall at 3,890 meters in the Argentine Basin.
- Surveys revealed human debris on the seafloor, including plastic fishing gear and a near‑pristine Korean‑labeled VHS tape, underscoring pollution pressures on these habitats.