At a glance, marine sediment might seem lifeless, just mud beneath the waves. But for James Fleming, postdoctoral researcher at JAMSTEC, that mud holds entire worlds.

Rising from the deep seafloor south of mainland Japan, the Shichiyo Seamounts, a dive site of the JAMSTEC Shinkai expedition, are part of a chain of underwater volcanoes formed by tectonic activity along the Izu–Ogasawara Arc.

The Nankai Trough, stretching along the southeastern coast of Japan, is one of the most geologically active and biologically important deep-sea regions in the western Pacific.

Twelve years after her first submersible dive, Dr Verity Nye has returned to Japan to descend once again aboard Shinkai 6500, the iconic submersible operated by JAMSTEC.

The workshop brought together taxonomic specialists from across the world to work on these rare samples, including specimens that may not have been investigated otherwise.

There has never been a better, nor more important time to be a marine biologist.

These small, "worm-like" creatures might not have the charismatic appeal of octopuses or dolphins, but they play a crucial role in ocean ecosystems and offer valuable insights into biodiversity and evolution.

In 2024, the Ocean Census achieved exciting milestones in advancing the understanding and discovery of marine biodiversity.

This species discovery workshop will allow us to uncover potential new species from the Nazca Ridge expedition.