HONOLULU -- Researchers on a three-week mission to remote French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands discovered 100 species never seen in the area before, including many that may be entirely new to science.

"There were lots of organisms that people were saying, 'Wow! What's that?'" said Joel Martin, a zoologist in charge of invertebrates for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Researchers returned from the voyage Sunday with at least 1,000 species of invertebrates, including worms, crabs and sea stars. About 160 unique species of limu were also found.

Among the discoveries are: multicolored worms, a bright purple, foot-long sea star and a hermit crab that dons a sea anemone and sports shiny golden claws.

More species may still be found in the water and sand samples that will be studied at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusettes.

The findings of the expedition will be used to establish what species live in the area. And additional studies will determine how well the area's ecosystem is being managed and what threats it faces.

"It was a very successful expedition by almost any criterion and the discovery has really only just begun," Martin said.

The project is part of the Census of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the International Census of Marine Life.

The 19-member scientific team aboard the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration's research ship Oscar Elton Sette included 12 taxonomists, who are experts in identifying organisms.

Environmental groups KAHEA and Environmental Defense had protested the scope of the sampling before the voyage began.

Both the number of samples and methods of sampling _ including traps, sand dredges and marine vacuums _ were approved by the three managers of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument: the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, NOAA, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.



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