Scientists teamed with an unlikely ally, the internet, to name a newly identified marine mollusk living in one of the deepest known wood fall habitats off the coast of Japan.
The Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance Instagram account (@oceanspecies) shared the announcement of the Ferreiraella populi.
Earth.com reported on the background of its unveiling. Scientists chose its second name, "populi," from over 8,000 imaginative suggestions. The team followed naming conventions to pick the first, Ferreiraella, for the species' genus.
With its distinctive appearance featuring eight shell plates for gripping wood and some pops of color on its teeth, it was a perfect assignment for the internet.
"We were overwhelmed by the response and the massive number of creative name suggestions!" remarked Julia Sigwart, who was part of the team that found the pale chiton.
Fittingly, populi means "of the people," with 11 different people suggesting that name. It beat out a treasure trove of submissions, including Chiton McChitonface, per the Instagram caption.
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This particular species was found approximately 18,100 feet underwater on a sunken piece of wood. SOSA used a fast-tracked formal process to get from discovery in 2024 to its naming in 2026.
Sigwart said the process can take a decade or more, which means the discovery can lose its luster. Similarly, the effort to include the internet was intentional.
Ferreiraella populi is one of three new creatures the scientists documented in a study published in Biodiversity Data Journal. By including the internet, though, the researchers hoped to raise global awareness of marine invertebrates and the threats they face, such as deep-sea mining.
It also emphasizes how citizen science platforms allow more people to contribute to the conservation and generate support for expensive but invaluable deep-sea expeditions that uncover these creatures.
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As Earth.com pointed out, the gap in our collective knowledge about similar species is due to the challenges of observing sunken-wood sites.
Previous research has indicated the three species are among 26 that coexist on one log that provides an abundant, if brief, food source on the seafloor. However, so little is known that each supported expedition can deliver exciting findings to map and document.
Scientists loved getting the internet involved and praised the public's participation.
"Taxonomy has never been this fun," SOSA wrote in their caption.
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