A carnivorous sponge with a hooked, spherical body has been confirmed in the Southern Ocean. The creature, a new species in the genus Chondrocladia, traps prey with tiny hooks instead of filtering water like most sponges.

The find sits among 30 newly confirmed deep-sea species from two 2025 expeditions, researchers said, with verification completed at an international workshop in Punta Arenas, Chile, Ocean Census reports.

Many sponge species found thrive near hydrothermal vents and volcanic zones.

Where and How Scientists Found It

Teams aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) used the ROV SuBastian to survey volcanic calderas, the South Sandwich Trench, and seafloor habitats near Montagu and Saunders Islands. They collected nearly 2,000 specimens across 14 animal groups, plus hours of HD video and images, according to Oceanographic.

The hunts also documented so-called zombie worms (*Osedax*), which rely on symbiotic bacteria to digest fats within whale bones—grisly but established residents of the deep.

Technology Opened a Locked World

“Advanced tools — from precise seafloor mapping to high-definition ROV imagery — allow us to explore and gather data from places never seen before by humans,” Dr. Jyotika Virmani, executive director of Schmidt Ocean Institute told Ocean Census.

She added that shared goals with Ocean Census helped deliver first-ever footage of a live juvenile colossal squid and multiple new species.

Researchers believe more unknown life still hides in the polar deep.

Biodiversity Hiding in Plain (Dark) Sight

The discoveries include armoured and iridescent scale worms, previously unknown sea stars, new isopods and amphipods—with material under review that may indicate an entirely new amphipod family—as well as rare gastropods and bivalves adapted to volcanic and hydrothermal settings.

Dr. Michelle Taylor, head of science at the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census, called the region “profoundly undersampled.”

“We have only assessed under 30% of the samples collected from this expedition, so confirming 30 new species already shows how much biodiversity is still undocumented,” she told The Guardian.

Each new species expands understanding of life’s resilience in extreme environments.

Why Speed Matters

“Accelerating species discovery is not a scientific luxury — it is essential for public good,” said Mitsuyuki Unno, executive director of The Nippon Foundation, which leads Ocean Census with the Nekton Foundation.

The work “will benefit scientists, policymakers and communities worldwide,” he told href="https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/carnivorous-death-ball-sponge-among-new-deep-sea-species/" target="_blank">Oceanographic.

A Rare Peek Beneath Ice and Fire

Beyond the “death-ball” sponge, the missions logged new hydrothermal vents around 700 meters with chemosynthetic life, vibrant coral gardens, and evidence of explosive undersea volcanism. The team also pivoted south to explore a seabed newly exposed when iceberg A-84 calved from the George VI Ice Shelf in January 2025, NDTV reports.

Meanwhile, the spherical sponge’s hook-covered surface remains the headline-grabber: a predator in a phylum known for passivity.