New Mollusk Species Found Near Scotland

FOUR mysterious molluscs have been discovered in the deep ­waters of the Atlantic Frontier, hundreds of miles off the ­north-west coast of Scotland.

The secretive sea creatures – new species of a large sea snail, two kinds of clams and a marine worm – were found during recent trawl surveys by Marine Scotland scientists off the UK Continental Shelf in the waters of the North Atlantic, near the tiny islet of Rockall.

International experts have now confirmed that all four creatures are completely new to science, meaning they have avoided detection up to a mile below the surface during decades of underwater research around the Rockall plateau.

Marine scientists also believe their remarkable discovery could point to the presence of a “cold seep” in the Atlantic Frontier near Rockall where hydrocarbon gases are released from the sea bed to create carbonate rock formations and reefs.

If confirmed, it would be the first cold seep to be discovered in the vicinity of Rockall.

Jim Drewery, from Marine Scotland Science, who led the ­research on the deep water invertebrates, said: “The discovery of these new species is absolutely incredible, especially when you consider that the sea snail measures a relatively large ten centimetres yet has gone undetected for decades.



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