Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA)

We're Hiring! SOSA is looking for a Red List Assessor to support our protection efforts! Our Red List Unit coordinates and builds capacity to assess the extinction risk of marine invertebrate species and add them to the IUCN Red List. The main task of this role will involve the input of assessment data into the IUCN Species Information Service. We are looking for a team member with a passion for marine invertebrate conservation and diligent attention to detail, no biology background/experience necessary! Sound like you? Learn more and apply by Sept. 30 here: https://lnkd.in/eHJksP23  

Deep-sea bivalve, 𝘓𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘢, and one of its describers, Senckenberg Nature Research Global Fellow, Dr. Fabrizio Marcondes Machado, are in the media spotlight! A recent article from VEJA highlights the non-invasive taxonomic techniques used to describe this new marine species. These innovative methods are reflected in its name, 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘢, meaning “non-wounded.” Dr. Machado explains: “Since we only had two individuals, I couldn’t destroy one of them, so I used microtomography to virtually dissect it, understand the internal anatomy and do the reconstruction in three dimensions.” Learn more here (originally in Portuguese but you can translate to your preferred language): https://lnkd.in/etyGbyzQ 𝘓𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘢 is one of the 12 species highlighted in SOSA's Ocean Species Discoveries. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eNZvYpMk

Please welcome our newest team member, Yumi Nakadera! Yumi is part of our discovery team, working to accelerate the pace at which new marine invertebrate species are described. Discovery technicians use various taxonomic methods to collect and create the needed information to complete scientific descriptions for new species. Welcome onboard Yumi!

SOSA’s newest publication: Ocean Species Discoveries, aims to accelerate the pace at which new marine invertebrate species are described and published! The Ocean Species Discoveries (OSD) is a new taxonomic publication format that brings together concise, but high-quality species descriptions from independent taxonomists across many different marine invertebrate taxa. This first edition of the OSD, published with Pensoft Publishers’ Biodiversity Data Journal, includes 13 marine invertebrate taxa: 1 new genus, 11 new species, and 1 redescription/reinstatement. These species originate from all over the globe, at depths from 5.2 to 7081 meters!   Learn more in our latest article:

Molluscs are a diverse group of animals – from color-changing octopuses to stinging sea-slugs! A new fossil discovery of what scientists think to be a proto-mollusc could shed light on the evolution of this diverse group! The fossil is of a flat, slug-like animal that was covered in hollow spikes. While this discovery is incredibly exciting, SOSA’s Dr. Julia Sigwart reminds us: “One form that we find in the fossil record doesn’t necessarily mean that all of the other early fossils also looked like that.” Learn more about this proto-mollusc fossil discovery here: https://lnkd.in/efiUPjf5

“Many of the living giant clam species are seriously in peril,” says Dr. Julia Sigwart. Last week, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed to list 10 species of giant clams as threatened or endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). This is an important tool in the protection of these incredible animals. SOSA is also working to protect giant clam species, but through a different list – the IUCN Red List. SOSA's Protect team, Julia Silva Beneti and Anne Helene (Pans) Tandberg have been working in partnership with experts, Dr. Mei Lin Neo and Dr. Ruiqi Li, to assess the global endangerment risk of 12 Tridacninae clam species. Tridacninae clams are the largest living marine bivalves with heavy, fluted shells and often brightly colored mantles. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is currently the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species. Learn more about NOAA’s proposal in this article from Science (where SOSA's co-founder, Dr. Sigwart is quoted!): https://lnkd.in/eYqKMfWM Learn more about SOSA’s Protection efforts with the IUCN here: https://lnkd.in/ewUCBmnU

Last week, SOSA’s Protect team was busy meeting both with the IUCN Red List and the British Antarctic Survey! SOSA's protection efforts focus on adding marine invertebrate species to the IUCN Red List. The Protect team coordinates experts and volunteers across the world to assess the global extinction risk of marine invertebrates - a group that is often under-represented in both research and conservation efforts. Find out more about SOSA’s protection efforts here: https://lnkd.in/erhwggR2 Julia Sigwart Julia Silva Beneti Anne Helene (Pans) Tandberg

We’re Hiring! Are you a student with a passion for sharing stories about ocean animals? Do you have graphic design skills and experience using the Adobe Creative Suite? The engagement team is looking for a student assistant to support their efforts in building fascination and value for marine invertebrate species! Could this be you? Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/e8JM2AEv Alica Torkov, PhD Carly Rospert

How do you catch the attention of 2,634 isopods? Use the inner-net! Okay, we know, a terrible joke. BUT, a recent article co-authored by Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung researchers describes how, through deploying small plankton nets – called “inner nets” – on a recent expedition in the Northwest Pacific, scientists were able to capture over 2,500 isopod specimens! These isopods represent a diverse population, belonging to 14 different families. Read more about the “inner net” technique and the many crustaceans caught on the Hakuho Maru expedition: https://lnkd.in/eNjvABEQ Andreas Kelch Henry Knauber #OceanResearch #MarineResearch #Isopod #Biodiversity #NewPaper Photos: Brandt, A. et al. (2024), CCbySA-4 (see link above)

New Species Alert! Introducing a new member of the isopod family Acanthaspidiidae: 𝙈𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙨. The discovery of this small isopod is making big waves, as it belongs to an extremely rare family and genus. What’s even more incredible is that this new species was found in Mediterranean waters - the first representative discovered there from both its genus and family! Because the Mediterranean is a place of extreme faunal shifts at the moment and this is the only specimen of this species found, scientists are unaware if the species still lives there. Since this group of isopods are so rare, the genus, 𝙈𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙚, is only very vaguely described. The discovery of this species and its description have also improved our understanding of the genus as a whole! Learn more about this exciting new isopod in the recently published article - co-authored by SOSA co-founder Torben Riehl and his former BSc student, Katharina Schienbein: https://lnkd.in/gkheRctp #NewSpecies #isopod #marineinvertebrate #OceanResearch #MarineResearch #Taxonomy