Census of Marine Life scientists with the German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research at the Senckenberg Research Institute, last year described this new species and genus of the burrower loriciferan, Culexiregiloricus trichiscalida, found at 4,141 meters (2.6 miles) depth in the Atlantic's Guinea Basin south of Cote d'Ivoire, Africa, on the 2005 DIVA 2 expedition. Loriciferans, affectionately dubbed "girdle wearers" due to characteristic hind shells resembling a corset, are among the smallest known multi-cellular marine animals. This is a juvenile stage specimen with a body length is about 1/4 of a millimeter (1/100th of an inch) -- roughly the width of three human hairs. The body is filled with granular cells and tissue. (Credit: Gunnar Gad, Marco Büntzow, Deutsches Zentrum für Marine Biodiversitätsforschung/German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research, Senckenberg Research Institute, Germany /Census of Marine Life)
