Predatory amphipod discovered in Earth’s deepest waters

Scientists from the US and Chile have uncovered a remarkable predatory crustacean, Dulcibella camanchaca, in the Atacama Trench off South America’s coast.

Found at a staggering depth of 7,902 meters, this pale, ghostly amphipod marks the first documented predator in the hadal zone—depths exceeding 6,000 meters.

Unlike typical amphipods that scavenge for food, D. camanchaca actively hunts its prey using specialized appendages, a unique adaptation to the extreme pressures, freezing temperatures, and darkness of its environment.

Measuring just under 4 centimeters, it represents not only a new species but a new genus, named after characters from Don Quixote and local terms for “darkness.”

The discovery, made during a 2023 deep-sea expedition using baited traps, highlights the mysteries of Earth’s least explored habitats and offers potential insights into similar environments on ocean moons like Europa and Enceladus.