Armadillo Fish discovered near the Canary Islands Oct 05, 2009

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Chupa Chups sponges, armadillo fish, fan corals, and dozens of other species were discovered at the bottom of the sea near the Canary Islands. Some of the species are yet unknown to science, others have never been seen before…at least in the Western Mediterranean. The discoveries were made using a robot.

Spanish scientists have discovered completely new and unknown species of sea life in the Atlantic ocean near the Canary Islands. The discoveries were made with the help of Oceana Ranger catamaran. The catamaran is equipped with a special robot that can dive to depths of up to 500 meters. During a scan of the sea bottom the robot discovered armadillo fish and crystal sponges that have not been registered or described in any scientific works related to the fauna of the region. Other species have been partially rediscove'red as well, particularly species that amazed scientist with their impressive and original appearance, but have not been very well documented – Chupa Chups sponges, fan corals, anemone-flycatchers, and others. According to the Spanish newspaper "El Mundo", there are dozens of newly discovered species.

In addition to biodiversity the team of Ocean Ranger was concerned with the population of sea urchins, that has grown to threaten the safety of the archipelago. During the last couple of years these small animals have multiplied quickly and began to crowd out other indigenous species, particularly living on the sea bottom. "Not knowing what lives in the deeper parts of the ocean prevents us from learning which regions need our help the most." – explained head of research, Ricardo Aguilar. The United Nations Convention on Biodiversity states that by year 2012, there must be no less that 10% of ocean space under the status of conservation areas or protected national parks. At the moment, only 0,15% of the waters around the Canary Islands are protected. The ecologists are also very concerned with the increasing number of tourists flooding the region as well as the industrial development of the archipelago.