Species and Organisms of the Kermadec Trench
Unknown species of Shrimp and Fish at the floor of the Kermadec Trench
By: Donnie Roberts and Brian Henry
Because of its location, at the southern limit of survival for many tropical species and northern limit for temperate species, the Kermadec region is home to countless diverse species of life. Among these are 53 species of seabirds, 88 species of decapods, at least 150 species of fish, and many more species that have yet to be discovered that are living somewhere in the depths of the trench. The Kermadec Trench supports a population of larger predators including tunas, billfish, sharks, whales, and dolphins. Deeper depths of the trench down to the ocean floor include different groups of mussels, shrimps, worms, and bacteria which can be found in the areas closest to the trench’s hydrothermal vents. In fact, in November of 2009, the deepest living fish spotted in the Southern Hemisphere was found in the Kermadec Trench using an underwater camera at a depth of 7,560 meters.
There is a great amount of marine life that the Kermadec region offers and supports. Tunas, sharks, and different species of dolphins and whales, are just to name a few. The sea floor contains many different habitats such as coral reefs, blue maomao, and hard basalt rock gatherings. There are also distinct communitites such as worms and bacteria that are only found at the depths of the Kermadec trench near hot water vents. The Kermadec region of New Zealand is said to have some of the most geologically active and biologically unusual features on the planet.
Because of its location, at the southern limit of survival for many tropical species and northern limit for temperate species, the Kermadec region is home to countless diverse species of life. Among these are 53 species of seabirds, 88 species of decapods, at least 150 species of fish, and many more species that have yet to be discovered that are living somewhere in the depths of the trench. The Kermadec Trench supports a population of larger predators including tunas, billfish, sharks, whales, and dolphins. Deeper depths of the trench down to the ocean floor include different groups of mussels, shrimps, worms, and bacteria which can be found in the areas closest to the trench’s hydrothermal vents. In fact, in November of 2009, the deepest living fish spotted in the Southern Hemisphere was found in the Kermadec Trench using an underwater camera at a depth of 7,560 meters.
There is a great amount of marine life that the Kermadec region offers and supports. Tunas, sharks, and different species of dolphins and whales, are just to name a few. The sea floor contains many different habitats such as coral reefs, blue maomao, and hard basalt rock gatherings. There are also distinct communitites such as worms and bacteria that are only found at the depths of the Kermadec trench near hot water vents. The Kermadec region of New Zealand is said to have some of the most geologically active and biologically unusual features on the planet.
Coastlines of the Kermadec
Island of Fiji is an outlying island of the Kermadec
Located along the western boundary of the Kermadec Trench are the Kermadec Islands. This chain of islands consists of four different groups of islands and rocks, spanning about 130 kilometers along the trench’s western ridge. The islands are made up of the summits of steep volcanoes which drop off into the depths of the trench, around 8,000 meters below sea level. Because of their location on the Australasian and Pacific Plate boundaries, Earthquakes are recorded on nearly a daily basis. Due to this the islands are mainly inhabited besides people who work on Raoul Island, the largest island of the group, to study and keep up with the Kermadec Trench and its islands.
Food Web Of The Kermadec Trench
By: Eric Dellaratta
Here is a Foodweb of the Kermadec/Pacific