In the depths of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), previously undiscovered marine species lurk in the dark. In a major stride towards understanding the mysteries of our oceans, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), in collaboration with the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and supported by the European Union, launched the “One Thousand Reasons” campaign in 2023, as part of the ISA Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (ISA-SSKI). This initiative was the start of a monumental effort to describe at least one thousand new deep-sea species by 2030, enhancing our collective knowledge of life in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Now, the first new species descriptions are being released into the world, bundled in a special issue of Zookeys. One of the many accomplishments of the taxonomic community under the “One Thousand Reasons” campaign, was the organisation of a deep-sea workshop at the University of Lodz, Poland in 2024, dedicated to Amphipods. Taxonomists worked on the detailed identification and description of amphipod species previously discovered during several expeditions. From this workshop, 24 new deep-sea amphipods (including two new genera and one new superfamily and family) were described.

Marine taxonomic research is being carried out globally on a daily basis, and all of it is equally important in the race to describe all marine species, from the coastal areas to the deepest points of our ocean. So why are we highlighting this particular work?  For this reason: Eperopeus vermiculatus Horton, Valls Domedel, Stewart & Hendrycks, 2026, described from samples collected in 2021, at more than 4.000 metres depth in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (Pacific Ocean).

The description of this one tiny species, Eperopeus vermiculatus, will not solve our biodiversity crisis, nor will it provide a solution to other global challenges, but initiatives such as the SSKI program are steps in the right direction and this species definitely has a special place in the hearts of the WoRMS Data Management Team. The authors (Horton et al., 2026) have chosen the species name vermiculatus, to honour both the vermiform morphology of this new amphipod, and in recognition of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), which they described as a wonderful resource for all marine taxonomists.

Needless to say we see this as the highest honour and privilege towards our beloved WoRMS!

Image: Eperopeus vermiculatus, habitus. Credit: NHM.