Rare deep-sea creatures discovered in remote ocean

(CNN) – A blind eel, deep-sea batfishes, spiderfish and more were all discovered and revealed on a seafloor in Australia.

The deep-sea batfish is one of several previously unknown creatures found below the surface of the Indian Ocean near the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park.

A team of scientists with the Museums Victoria Research Institute recently mapped the region across nearly 7,000 miles in detail for the first time.

The project revealed flat-topped sea mountains with volcanic cones, sharp ridges, and canyons.

The newly discovered sea life also came to light, including the blind eel with loose, transparent skin, the pelican and slender snipe eels, highfin lizardfish and others.

The museum’s chief scientist of the expedition said this represents a discovery of “an amazing number of potentially new species” living in the Marine Park.