Ocean Census

Welcome to the Crustacean Classification Station! 🦐 Scientists are currently working to describe new species from the last year’s #BountyTrough expedition, delivered in partnership with NIWA and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. The 21 day expedition explored the 800km long Bounty Trough and the initial workshop contributed 100 new and potential new species to science. Now a second workshop takes place to analyse some of the remaining specimens. A key focus of the workshop? Crustaceans! Some Brenke sled samples yielded remarkably high numbers of small invertebrates, requiring significant effort to sort and identify. Given the sheer volume of specimens, many remained unstudied - until now. To accelerate species discovery, the Species Discovery Workshop has brought together specialists from the Ocean Census Science Network to sort, study, and start describing these deep-sea organisms. Scientists first separated samples into major faunal groups, and workshop participants now conduct detailed taxonomic identification. NIWA will lead the subsequent genetic sequencing, with all newly identified species registered to Ocean Census, contributing to global biodiversity knowledge. This workshop reflects the collaborative spirit of modern taxonomy - scientists working together across disciplines and institutions to build a better understanding of marine biodiversity. We thank NIWA, especially Sadie Mills and Racheal Peart, as well as all contributors for their time, expertise, and dedication. Image credits: NIWA.

We would like to extend a huge congratulations to two members of the Ocean Census Science Network, Erin Easton and Javier Sellanes, who today have been announced as recipients of The Explorers Club Citation of Merit Award. Since 1914, The Explorers Club has recognized the world's greatest explorers with exploration's highest honors. Find out more about Erin and Javier's achievement in the article below.

Polychaete Workshop 11-12 March 2025 at Sydney Institute of Marine Science RATIONALE: Polychaetes play a major role in marine ecosystem functioning as they dominate marine benthic habitats both in terms of abundance and richness. However, accurate identification, even to the family level, remains a formidable taxonomic challenge and is a significant barrier to undertaking environmental assessment studies of Australian benthic habitats. This workshop aims to provide the skills required to recognise Australian polychaete families and their ecology. It will also provide resources for recognition of some of the common species. The workshop is aimed at students, researchers and environmental consultants. TOPICS TO BE COVERED: * a brief overview of where Polychaeta fits among Annelida; * introduction to polychaete morphology using  new online illustrated glossary; * strategies for sample sorting using a dissecting microscope; * identification of polychaetes to the family level using a new interactive digital key. REGISTRATION COST: Students $100; Researchers and consultants $150. Registration cost includes morning and afternoon coffee/tea and lunch. PRESENTERS: Drs Pat Hutchings Chris Glasby Elena Kupriyanova and Anna Murray CLOSING DATE FOR REGISTRATION: 28 February 2025. Numbers are limited, so please register EOI asap by emailing pat.hutchings@Australian.Museum or elena.Kupriyanova@Australian.Museum

This International #WomenInScienceDay, we are spotlighting the incredible women working to discover brand new marine species. Meet Raissa. 👋 She is an oceanographer in the Ocean Census Science Network, specialising in deep sea corals. Growing up by the sea, her fascination with marine life shaped her path into oceanography. She has recently lent her skills to a number of Ocean Census expeditions, to locations such as the Arctic to the central Pacific. This video was filmed during her time onboard the Johnston Atoll expedition with Ocean Exploration Trust. 👉 Watch the full video: https://lnkd.in/emzSVgeV #WomenInScience #OceanCensus #TheNipponFoundation Nekton UNESCO UN Ocean Decade

Out there doing it on International Day of Women and Girls in Science! 👩🔬 Ahoy from our seafaring wāhine conducting research at sea. 🌊 🚢 🔹Checking in all the way from Antarctica, the first group are on a six-week research voyage aboard RV Tangaroa to better understand the impacts of climate change on the Ross Sea, and the impacts of a changing Ross Sea on the rest of the globe. 🔹Closer to home, Dr Kareen Schnabel and Dr Jenny Beaumont are working with their Kiwi and German colleagues aboard the RV Sonne looking for cold-water coral habitats off the coast of New Zealand. 🔹Liv Cornelissen recently returned from a voyage aboard the Korean icebreaker RV Araon to Antarctica. She joined the team from KOPRI to recover and deploy two hydrographic moorings from Terra Nova Bay that have been maintained since 2014. Whether they’re on a vessel, out in the field, in a lab, or behind a desk, talented and passionate women are making invaluable contributions to science every day. 🧪🔬 Shoutout to all women at NIWA and around the world inspiring and encouraging the next generation of scientists. 👏 🥳

🐙 🐠 It's Women in Science Day! 👩🔬 👩💻 Time to meet just some of the incredible women of the Ocean Census science network involved in the process of species discovery. Every year, International Day of Women and Girls in Science (United Nations) celebrates the contributions of women in research, innovation, and exploration. 🌊 From deep-sea expeditions to DNA sequencing and scientific publishing, women are at the forefront of uncovering the ocean’s hidden biodiversity. Read the full article on our website: https://lnkd.in/eYuc7Xrv #womeninscience #womeninstem #ocean #discoveries

On International Day of Women in Girls in Science, we celebrate the exceptional women in the Ocean Census Science Network who are driving species discovery and advancing our understanding of marine biodiversity. Species discovery is a collaborative process - spanning specimen collection on expeditions, taxonomic analysis in species discovery workshops, DNA sequencing, and formal species description and publication. There are talented women in the Science Network working across every stage. We are proud to work alongside these experts and invited them to share insights into their work. Read more from our marine scientists in the article here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eew8wM3h Join the Ocean Census Science Network today ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dcU_B6Pw #WomenInScienceDay #WomenInScience #TheNipponFoundation Nekton

That’s a wrap on the Indian Ocean Workshop! An international team of scientists have been studying octocorals and sponges from the Nekton Maldives and Seychelles First Descent expeditions. These expeditions collected baseline data of deep water habitats (500m Seychelles and 1000m Maldives) to support the conservation and sustainability management of these waters. Over the last two weeks the team analysed the morphology of 73 sponges and 50 octocorals, likely to be new species, and now DNA sequencing work will take place to confirm the findings. Confirmed new species will be registered to the Ocean Census. Thank you to our hosts NRF - South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB). Alongside analysing the Indian Ocean specimens, the scientists were also able to visit the collections archive at SAIAB. The collection consists of approximately 122,466 lots of fish specimens and spans over 50 years of aquatic research. An exciting visit to incorporate into the workshop! More about the Species Discovery Workshop: https://lnkd.in/edzUW6xH More about the collections at SAIAB: https://lnkd.in/dAai8mnn #OceanCensus #TheNipponFoundation Nekton

Reflecting on a year of discovery: the Ocean Census – Bounty Trough Expedition One year ago today, the Ocean Census – Bounty Trough research expedition set sail on a 21-day mission aboard R/V Tangaroa to explore one of New Zealand’s least understood deep-sea environments. In collaboration with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, scientists conducted an extensive biodiversity survey of the Bounty Trough—an 800 km-long mid-Cretaceous rift basin off New Zealand’s South Island. Sampling down to depths of up to 4,800m revealed exciting insights into the Bounty Trough's biodiversity: over 100 new and potential new marine species were documented from the expedition! The expedition was co-developed with host nation partners and included consultation with and participation from scientific institutes across New Zealand, with support from Ngāi Tahu, the principal Māori iwi of the South Island. A taxonomic workshop followed the expedition to accelerate species discovery, with the collection curated at NIWA and Te Papa Museum. This month, at an Ocean Census Species Discovery Workshop, scientists are analysing crustacean specimens from the Bounty Trough to determine if they represent additional undiscovered species. Expeditions are the start of the process, and work is ongoing to complete the species descriptions. #BountyTrough #OceanCensus #TheNipponFoundation Nekton

New Series Alert! Searching for Lost Shark: Extinct of Alive - Episode 1 Searching for Lost Sharks: Extinct or Alive is the first in a series of episodes that follow Dr. David Ebert and his colleagues to different parts of the world where they seek out lost sharks, sharks that have not been seen in decades, to determine if they still exist. Dive into the mysterious world of sharks in this captivating podcast episode! Join host Dave Ebert as he explores these magnificent creatures' fascinating yet often misunderstood lineage, which have been roaming our oceans for hundreds of millions of years. In this episode, we uncover the diverse range of shark species, from the iconic great white to the elusive lollipop cat shark. Learn about the threats facing these incredible animals, including overfishing, habitat loss, and climate change, and why we should care about the species that are disappearing before our eyes. Dave shares his personal journey as a shark researcher, conservationist, and educator, highlighting his efforts to rediscover lost shark species and bring awareness to those that remain largely unknown. This is the first episode in a series dedicated to shining a light on the rarest sharks and their critical role in marine ecosystems. Join us on this expedition to uncover the hidden world of lost sharks and discover how we can help protect these vital species. Don't forget to subscribe for more episodes in this enlightening series! Presenter: David Ebert, aka the Lost Shark Guy Producer & Writer: David Ebert - LostSharks LLC Videographer: Denisse Sotomayor Editor: Andrew Lewin - Cuttlefish Media & Speak Up for Blue Media Funding: Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) FANDOMODO Adriana Gonzalez Pestana Julia Constance Benaya Simeon South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity Ocean Census Sharks4Kids IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG) Moss Landing Marine Laboratories #Searching4LostSharks #ExtinctorAlive #LostSharkGuy #LostSharks #TheRoadLessTraveled #shark #scubadiving #ocean #explore #discovery #SharkWeek #travelphotography #Travel