This World Art Day (15th April), the Ocean Census is highlighting the enduring craft of scientific sketches. In an era dominated by digital documentation, this hand-drawn approach to specimen identification demonstrates that careful, observational practice remains as vital as ever in the discovery and understanding of new species.

Marine taxonomists from CSIRO and the Ocean Census have identified more than 110 new fish and invertebrate species from the Coral Sea, with that number likely to exceed 200 as more cryptic species are identified. 

Over two weeks, participants of the Isopod species discovery workshop worked through hundreds of specimens collected from expeditions ranging from Madagascar and New Zealand to the Arctic. The results were astonishing!

In a bustling workshop room in Senckenberg am Meer, the air hums with the soft excitement of species discovery. Here, early-career researchers from across the world, as well as mid-career to retired experts, have gathered for a species discovery workshop, united by a shared fascination of isopods.

Building on the success of our co-founder Nekton’s First Descent: Comoros 2025 mission, this Species Discovery Workshop took place at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) in Makhanda from January 26 to February 13, 2026.

They say that two is better than one, and for some marine species, living as a pair means that they are able to survive, adapt, and thrive in complex and often challenging underwater environments.

In 2025, the Ocean Census achieved exciting milestones in advancing the understanding and discovery of marine biodiversity.

The Ocean Census is proud to celebrate the extraordinary achievement of Belgian conchologist Yves Terryn, who has discovered 67 new species of auger snails (family Terebridae) through work supported by the Ocean Census Species Discovery Awards. 

Participant scientist, Jackline Adhiambo, recently completed an expedition exploring Kenya's coastal region with the FAO. Here she used her background as the invertebrate expert to support the identification of specimens from trawl catches.