Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA)

Deep Dives into Crustacean Research: Senckenberg at The Crustacean Society Summer Meeting From July 6–10, Senckenberg researchers joined crustacean experts from around the globe at one of the field’s most important gatherings: The Crustacean Society (TCS) Summer Meeting 2025, organized by ...

𝗖𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: From species discovery to deep-sea mysteries, @sgn.one researchers created connections and shared their exciting work at the 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, check out their contributions here: www.linkedin.com/pulse/deep-d...

From Cryptic to God Complex: Discovery of 5 New Isopods! Senckenberg Nature Research scientists explored one of the deepest and least-known parts of the ocean, the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench and nearby regions in the Northwest Pacific. In doing so, they uncover...

What scientists thought was one deep-sea isopod species turned out to be six—five of them brand new to science!

Explore this cryptic group's discovery story and meet the whole isopod crew in the article below:
www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-c...
@sgn.one

New Species Alert: Bathyopsurus sonnei Senckenberg Nature Research scientists discovered a brand-new species of a deep-sea swimming isopod in the Aleutian Trench, in the Pacific Ocean. This new species – at 65 millimeters long – is the lar...

Paddles for legs?? Check out this newly described and super rare giant swimming isopod!

Explore the story of how it was discovered on the @sgn.one Senckenberg 2022 AleutBio expedition: www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-sp...

Reflections from the 2025 UN Ocean Conference Last week, Senckenberg Nature Research’s Prof. Dr.

SOSA and @sgn.one were at the UN Ocean Conference 2025!

Check out Dr. Alica Torkov's insights from the event and how they will shape our efforts to safeguard ocean biodiversity: www.linkedin.com/pulse/reflec...

𝗪𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴!
Are you passionate about science, marine biology, and safeguarding ocean biodiversity? We have 𝟯 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 open at @sgn.one!

Check out the link below to see if one of these could be your next dream job!
sosa.senckenberg.de/en/about/car...

🐌 Happy #SnailDay! Meet 𝘑𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘴 — a 1.5 mm snail found in the Mediterranean… but isn’t a native! This sneaky snail is likely an Indo-Pacific species that was only discovered in its new habitat! Learn more: tinyurl.com/problematicus

bsky.app/profile/pgal...

🥁Drumroll, please! The 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 is… 𝘔𝘶𝘶𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘴, the 𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗽𝘂𝘀! 🐙

Over 4,000 fans voted and though all the creature candidates were impressive, 𝘔𝘶𝘶𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘴 stole the show and our hearts! The prize: complete genome sequencing.
@sgn.one @sigwartae.bsky.social

🎥:@schmidtocean

Naming a species isn’t just a label—it’s a lifeline for conservation. But what happens when an animal loses its name?

That’s the story of 𝘗𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘢. Dive into how researchers at @noc.ac.uk got this purple long-tailed sea cucumber its name back: tinyurl.com/Pbuglossa

VOTE NOW! Mollusc of the Year 2025

Arctica islandica - world’s oldest mollusc
Cellana exarata - Hawaiian limpet
Glaucus atlanticus - blue dragon
Muusoctopus sp. - Dorado Octopus
Xenophora conchyliophora - shell / collector

YOU decide - we do its genome
moty.senckenberg.science
@cgreve.bsky.social

Cracking the Mollusc Code: Genomes Reveal the Ancient Ancestor of Your Garden Snail For centuries, the origins of molluscs—one of the most diverse and enigmatic groups of animals on Earth—have puzzled scientists. From microscopic bivalves to giant squids, these creatures have flouris...

Discover the story behind the article, including what the ancient ancestor to all molluscs might have looked like here: tinyurl.com/molluscgenomes

A genome-based phylogeny for Mollusca is concordant with fossils and morphology Extreme morphological disparity within Mollusca has long confounded efforts to reconstruct a stable backbone phylogeny for the phylum. Familiar molluscan groups—gastropods, bivalves, and cephalopods—e...

𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲: A ground-breaking study in @science.org unravels the evolutionary history of molluscs: tinyurl.com/MolluscTree

@sgn.one @sigwartae.bsky.social @kmkocot.bsky.social @squamiferum.bsky.social @vans-gonzalez.bsky.social @cgreve.bsky.social @mkyapchiongco.bsky.social

Here is the mollusc tree. (We fixed it, you're welcome.) 😇 @sgn.one @oceanspecies.bsky.social @kmkocot.bsky.social
@squamiferum.bsky.social www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Evolutionary history of molluscs was contentious for decades due to conflicting genetic data vs morphology and fossils. Our tree resolves previous controversies; also provide key insights on what the ancestral mollusc looked like!

@oceanspecies.bsky.social @sgn.one @sigwartae.bsky.social

Earlier this week, a team from @trafficintl.bsky.social visited SOSA’s Red List team – discussing opportunities to collaborate on protecting marine species!

@sgn.one

💙 Love is in the water! 💙
We’re sharing #OceanLove stories on our Instagram (@OceanSpecies) all month!

Want your own set of exclusive, 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀? Join the Alliance by signing up for our Newsletter by 𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟭𝟭𝘁𝗵 👉 eepurl.com/ivU9RY

Abalone shells hold secrets to their evolution Shells of abalone snails have long been admired for their beautiful iridescent mother-of-pearl lining. But researcher, Nur Syahirah Mamat, is fascinated by their shells for a completely different reas...

This snail’s shell is hiding secrets to its evolution!

Explore what abalone shell shapes are revealing to @sgn.one Global fellow and Universiti Putra Malaysia PhD Student, Nur Syahirah Mamat: tinyurl.com/Abaloneshape

Nominate the International Mollusc of the Year! ~ 2025 ~

1 DAY LEFT to nominate your favorite mollusc for the 2025 International Mollusc of the Year! Winner gets FREE genome sequencing!

More info & Nominate here: tinyurl.com/2025MOTY

@sgn.one @sigwartae.bsky.social

Protecting deep-sea biodiversity takes global effort! At the #17DSBS Deep-Sea Biology Symposium, experts came together from around the world to discuss the future of our deep ocean: sosa.senckenberg.de/en/press/dee...

New Silurian aculiferan fossils reveal complex early history of Mollusca - Nature Fossils of two new worm-like aculiferan species add to the diversity of this group, showing that evolution in early aculiferans generated unusual forms comparable to other crown-group molluscs.

Recently unearthed fossils, Punk and Emo, are shaking up our understanding of ancient molluscs!

Check out the article, co-authored by @sigwartae.bsky.social : www.nature.com/articles/s41...

@sgn.one PhD student, Kasia Vončina's research recently took her to Australia on the hunt for chitons to unlock molecular mysteries this unique marine mollusc holds!

Learn more: sosa.senckenberg.de/en/press/chi...

YouTube video by Ze Frank True Facts: How A Species Gets A Name!

Our work can be complex, but Ze Frank has also found a way to make it really funny! Check out this hilarious video about what it is we do here at the Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn7k...

Many thanks to Ze Frank, we truly are 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 by your work and ongoing support!

One of S’pore’s three remaining giant clam species has not been seen since 2003: NUS scientist A global review highlighted the urgency of taking action to save these animals from extinction. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Over HALF of all giant clam species are at risk of global extinction. Learn more about some of these marine giants in this @thestraitstimes.bsky.social article: www.straitstimes.com/singapore/on...

Introducing a new-to-science deep-sea coral: The Golden Labyrinth coral - DSCC Blog authored by DSCC Executive Director, Sian Owen On World Ocean Day 2024, we launched an opportunity for our community to help name a new- to-science deep-sea coral. On October 30th, at the 16th Co...

📢 We are thrilled to announce the name of the new-to-science deep-sea coral: the Golden Labyrinth (Thouarella aureolabyrinthea)🪸

🏆 Congratulations to the winning submitter, Elizabeth Moore, and many thanks to our judging panel.

@oceanspecies.bsky.social
deep-sea-conservation.org/introducing-...

Over 40% of coral species face extinction – IUCN Red List Baku, Azerbaijan, 13 November 2024 (IUCN) – Forty-four per cent of reef-building coral species globally are at risk of extinction, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ reveals following a global a...

Over 40% of warm-water coral species face extinction.

We recently shared an update on the precarious state of cold-water corals. Yesterday, @IUCN revealed that warm-water coral species are in an even more threatened state.

Learn more: tinyurl.com/WarmWaterCor...

Learn more about some of the cold-water coral species included in the most recent IUCN Red List of Threatened Species update: www.ciimar.up.pt/ciimar-asses...

Marine invertebrates represent the greatest biodiversity in our oceans, yet they’re often underrepresented in conservation efforts. But we’re trying to change that! All 12 giant clam species and 22 cold-water corals were added to the IUCN Red List!

Learn more: sosa.senckenberg.de/en/press/cla...

SOSA’s Prof. Dr Julia Sigwart @sigwartae.bsky.social is visiting BRIN Indonesia!

SOSA’s Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart delivered a keynote presentation at the 10th #EUROMAL2024 congress! She discussed whole genomes and what they tell us about molluscan evolution! 🐌

@sgn.one @sigwartae.bsky.social

📸: Anita Eschner, Natural History Museum Vienna

We're Hiring!
SOSA is looking for a Red List Assessor to support us in the input of assessment data into the IUCN Species Information Service. Essential: passion for marine invertebrate conservation and attention to detail. No biology background necessary!
Apply by Sep. 30: tinyurl.com/RLAssessor

Método inovador ajuda na descrição de novo molusco carnívoro | Almanaque de Curiosidades Brasileiro foi pioneiro no uso de microtomografia para caracterização taxonômica de invertebrados marinhos

Deep-sea bivalve, 𝘓𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘢, and describer, Dr. Fabrizio Marcondes Machado, are in the media spotlight! This article highlights the non-invasive techniques used to describe this species, one of the 12 #OceanSpeciesDiscoveries species.

tinyurl.com/illaesa

@fabrizius.bsky.social @sgn.one