Marine team discovers 30 new species off Verde Island
More than 30 new species of sea slugs, sea urchins and soft corals have been discovered in the Verde Island Passage, between the provinces of Batangas and Mindoro, proving the area's significance as "the center of the center" of marine biodiversity in the world.
The Filipino-American team of marine experts, led by zoologist Dr. Terry Gosliner of the California Academy of Sciences (CAS), recently returned from a marine expedition in the Verde Island Passage, which led to the discovery of 30 nudibranch species, two sea urchins, and several new species of soft corals.
The diving teams explored both deep and shallow ecosystems to document the species’ richness, evaluate ecosystem health, and gather data to support smarter ocean conservation strategies.
Verde Island Passage has been a long time regional focus of multiple expeditions by the Academy, as it is the most biologically diverse water in the world.
CAS researchers have visited the region since 1992 and, since that time, have discovered over a thousand species that are new to science.
During their recent visit, Gosliner said the team continued to survey the waters of Anilao, Batangas and conducted explorations from Romblon Island in the far eastern part of the Verde Island Passage.
"These new discoveries continue to reinforce that the Verde Island Passage has unmatched marine biodiversity and undisputedly is the center of the center of marine biodiversity. It also confirms that different parts of the Verde Island Passage (VIP) have different species and each part of the VIP needs to be carefully managed to protect those unique species for coming generations," Gosliner told the Manila Bulletin.
The team also learned that the Verde Island Passage "functions as a reservoir of biodiversity to replenish damaged reefs elsewhere in the Philippines and the Coral Triangle."
Coral Triangle Region is a global hotspot of marine biodiversity surrounded by six nations, which include the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Solomon Islands.
In addition to discovering new marine species, the deep-diving "twilight zone" team also documented "evidence of human impacts" at 200-500 feet below the ocean’s surface, indicating that mesophytic deep reefs are as heavily impacted as their shallow counterparts and in need of strong protections. (Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz)