Feb 9 β€’ 11:53 UTC πŸ‡ΆπŸ‡¦ Qatar Al Jazeera

Thousands Contribute to Naming a 'Strange' Creature from the Depths of the Ocean

Thousands of people participated in naming a newly discovered deep-sea creature, which has garnered online fame.

A remarkable event unfolded as a previously unobserved marine creature, belonging to the "chiton" category of mollusks, was discovered nearly five kilometers beneath the surface of the ocean in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench near Japan. This peculiar being quickly gained notoriety online, capturing the attention and curiosity of many. The creature is armored with eight overlapping calcareous plates and is known for its ability to adhere firmly to rocks while consuming algae and microorganisms with its specialized tongue.

The journey of this creature into the spotlight began when it was featured in an episode of science YouTuber Z Frank's 'True Facts' series. Following the episode's popularity, the Senckenberg Marine Research Institute in Germany, in collaboration with research publisher Pensoft, invited the public to participate in a naming contest for this newly discovered species, fostering a connection between science and the community and hastening the documentation of biodiversity in the deep ocean.

Within just one week, over 8,000 name suggestions flooded in via social media, demonstrating both widespread enthusiasm and engagement with marine biology. After evaluating the submissions, researchers ultimately settled on the name "Ferraria poubiuli," reflecting the collaborative efforts of scientists and the public in the exploration of marine life and biodiversity.

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