New Species by the Dozen at Antarctic Undersea Vents

 

Exploring deep sea vents around Antarctica, scientists have found entirely new communities of life. Above, a vent dominated by a dense conglomeration of yeti crabs. That stuff on the right isn't seaweed, but a new kind of barnacle. From the abstract:

These communities are dominated by a new species of yeti crab, stalked barnacles, limpets and snails, sea anemones, and a predatory seven-armed starfish. Animals commonly found in hydrothermal vents of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, including giant Riftia tubeworms, annelid worms, vent mussels, vent crabs, and vent shrimps, were not present at the Southern Ocean vents.

This octopus, of an unknown species, came to check out the explorers.