New species of sponge discovered in the Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve.

The ocean is a mysterious frontier. While many residents of the Central Coast gaze out at the Pacific daily, it’s easy to overlook the scale of all we don’t know about this massive body of water. For scientists, the mystery means consistent new discoveries.

A big one in the world of sponges came as recently as the fall of 2021, when professors on a dive in the Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve discovered 12 new species of sponge. Tom Turner, Ph.D., a professor and sponge expert from U.C. Santa Barbara, and Steve Lonhart, Ph.D., a research ecologist for Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary published their findings in the journal Zootaxa in July.

Even the scientists themselves seem surprised by the discoveries. Of 29 sponge samples taken during the dive, 12 (41 percent) turned out to be not previously described. 

“It is amazing to me that new species are still being discovered within normal diving depths,” Lonhart, co-author of the paper, said in a statement. “After diving in central California since 1988, I realize there is still so much to discover, and Dr. Turner is really exposing the incredible biodiversity of sponges found right here in our very own sanctuary.”

One of the perks of discovering 12 new sponges is the opportunity to name them—and Turner chose many names that honor local landmarks and history including Megaciella sanctuarium, (named in honor of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary), Mycale lobos (named in honor of the nearby Point Lobos State Natural Reserve), Scopalina carmela (named for the town of Carmel) and Clathria rumsena (named for the local Rumsen tribe).