Usually, amphipods are small, with a shrimp-like shapes, these crustaceans are found mostly marine a

Usually, amphipods are small, with a shrimp-like shapes, these crustaceans are found mostly marine and freshwater ecosystems. But a new species discovered in the Atacama Trench, in front of the Atacama desert, northern Chile, has shown a new exception to the rule.

The Eurythenes atacamensis is a very large amphipod species, with a maximum observed length 8.3 cm. Despite the extreme environmental conditions of high pressure, low temperature, and limited food availability, this species is considered abundant in deep sea ecosystems in the Atacama trench, and feed mainly in carrion. This finding highlights that even dominant and ecologically important species are still being discovered within the deep sea.  

• Photo:Eurythenes atacamensis, female, juvenile, intersex and male desposited at the  MNHNCL. Size presented here is nearly close to real size.
• Reference (Open Access): Weston.et al. 2021. Eurythenes atacamensis sp. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda) exhibits ontogenetic vertical stratification across abyssal and hadal depths in the Atacama Trench, eastern South Pacific Ocean. Mar. Biodivers.

Photo description: Four Eurythenes atacamensis amphipods in near real size are show in a black fond. The size is big, and one big could fit in an adult hand.