A new deep-sea predator has been discovered in the Atacama Trench, though incredibly small in size, possesses lethal hunting abilities that make it a formidable force in its underwater ecosystem.
About D. camanchaca:
It is a newly discovered amphipod, a shrimp-like marine creature, marking the first known predatory amphipod in the hadal zone—depths exceeding 6,000 meters below the ocean surface.
Unlike most amphipods that feed on detritus, it is an active predator, using specialized appendages to catch and consume other organisms.
This behaviour is rare among deep-sea creatures, which typically rely on scavenging due to the scarcity of food.
camanchaca has adapted to freezing temperatures and immense pressure, which exceeds 1,000 times the atmospheric pressure at sea level.
The genus name Dulcibella is inspired by Dulcinea, a character from Don Quixote. However, since this name was already assigned to another species, researchers chose camanchaca, meaning "darkness" in some South American languages—a fitting name for a creature that thrives in total darkness.
Atacama Trench:
The Atacama Trench stretches along the eastern South Pacific Ocean, plunging to depths exceeding 8,000 m off the coast of northern Chile.
It is part of the hadal zone, a region characterised by intense pressure, near-freezing temperatures, and complete darkness.
It is one of the most geographically isolated hadal features and is situated below eutrophic surface waters and characterized by high sediment loads.
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