Wealth of new species found at the Great Barrier Reef Hundreds
of new species of marine creatures, from shrimp-like crustaceans
to soft-bodied corals, have been discovered by scientists
exploring the rich assortment of life inhabiting the Great
Barrier Reef in Australia. Among the discoveries were dozens of
small crustaceans, a rare insect-like animal with a whip-like
back leg three times the length of its body and a jellyfish that
floats upside down to dangle its tentacles in the sunlight.
About half of the 300 soft corals found are thought to be new
discoveries, although they will only be given names and
classified formally once the scientists have compared them
against existing species. Unlike their hard-bodied cousins, soft
corals do not build reefs but are nevertheless considered vital
for the marine environment. These colourful animals can dominate
some regions of the sea, covering up to 25 per cent of the ocean
floor. The four-year project is centred on the extensive coral
reefs of western and north-we