Far below the waves of the Pacific Ocean, something rare has made an appearance—one that would excite both marine scientists and manga lovers. A team from Japan has found a new sea creature, and it comes with a story just as big as its size.
New limpet species found 5,922 metres below sea
Scientists from JAMSTEC have discovered a new limpet species at a depth of nearly 6,000 meters. It was found on volcanic rock 500 kilometres from Tokyo, far below where most life survives. Measuring up to 40.5 mm, this limpet is unusually large for its kind and is now the deepest-living true limpet ever recorded.
Named Bathylepeta wadatsumi, the creature draws its title from two sources. The first is Wadatsumi, the god of the sea in Japanese folklore. The second is a nod to “Large Monk” Wadatsumi, a character from the popular manga series One Piece. The character’s giant size felt like a fitting tribute to this deep-sea find.
Crewed sub helps spot rare sea creature in habitat
The limpet was collected using the Shinkai 6500, a crewed deep-sea sub. Unlike past finds that were caught by net, this one was photographed and observed alive on the ocean floor. Dr Chong Chen, lead author of the study, said human eyes still offer an edge under the sea. "Submersibles let us search with focus and care," he explained.
The limpet was seen grazing on sediment covering volcanic rock. This hints at a unique role in the deep-sea food web. Scientists believe it may help recycle organic matter in ways still poorly understood.
The team published their findings in Zoosystematics and Evolution. They even saluted One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda in their notes, saying his tale shows how the best voyages are driven by friendship, freedom and wonder.
A call for deeper dives into abyssal life
This new find highlights how little we know of rocky sea floors. The researchers say more submersible missions could uncover species missed by remote tools. Limpets like Bathylepeta wadatsumi may be just the start.
The study reminds us that Earth’s deepest places still hold secrets—some even inspired by our favourite stories.
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