South Atlantic Deep Dives Reveal Giant Phantom Jelly, Massive Bathelia Reef and 28 New Species
An Argentine deep-sea expedition using the ROV SuBastian off the coast from Buenos Aires to Tierra del Fuego documented a vast Bathelia candida coral reef extending hundreds of kilometres, a whale fall at depths around 3,000–3,900 metres, 28 new species, and the rare giant phantom jelly Stygiomedusa gigantea with tentacles up to 10 metres. The team also observed bubblegum coral gardens and other deep-sea life, highlighting rich biodiversity and the vulnerability of these habitats while collecting samples to inform future research on ecosystem connections in Argentinian waters.