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New species of plankton discovered

By Edecio Martinez

September 27, 2012 / 2:45 PM EDT / CBS News

35_16__Zoea_ATL_Daniel_Bailey_Plymouth_Tara_Oceans_2010.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

A team of about 15 scientists on a research sailboat completed a two-and-a-half year, 70,000-mile voyage looking at plankton. The research team from Tara Oceans collected samples of sea-water and found approximately 1.5 million species of plankton - twice the number previously known to exist, CBS This Morning reports. The microscopic creatures at the bottom of the food chain play an over-sized role in the global ecosystem. This image shows a new species of plankton.

13Organisme-marin?M.Ormestad-Kahikai-Tara-Oceans.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

12Organisme-marin?M.Ormestad-Kahikai-Tara-Oceans.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

14Organisme-marin?C.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

16Organisme-marin?C.Sardet-CNRS-Tara-Oceans.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

15Organisme-marin?C.Guiguand-Tara-Oceans.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

20Organisme-marin?C.Sardet-CNRS-Tara-Oceans.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

17Organisme-marin?M.Ormestad-Kahikai-Tara-Oceans.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_02_Globigerina_bulloides_MED_Johan_Decelle_CNRS_Tara-Oceans_2009.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_01_Diatom_Bacillariophyta_NortPAC_Luis_Gutierrez_Heredia_UCD_Tara_Oceans_2011.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_03_Salp_MED_Franck_Preijger_CNRS_Tara_Oceans_2009.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_04_Radiolarian_MED_Franck_Preijger_CNRS_Tara_Oceans_2009.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_06_Shrimp_MED_Emmanuel_Reynaud_UCD_Tara_Oceans_2009.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_07_Diatom_IND_EJennifer_Gillette_UCD_Tara_Oceans_2010.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_05_Polychaeta_MED_Christian_Rouviere__CNRS_Tara_Oceans_2009.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_09_Vellela__ATL_Patrick_Chang_CNRS_Tara_Oceans_2010.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_11_Hydrozoan_ATL_Mattias_Ormestad_Kahikai_Tara_Oceans_2010.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_13__Phytoplankton_ATL_Daniel_Bailey_Plymouth_Tara_Oceans_2010.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_15__Polychaeta_ATL_Daniel_Bailey_Plymouth_Tara_Oceans_2010.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_17-Platynereis_Dumereii_SouthPAC_Eric_Roettinger_Kahikai_Tara_Oceans_2011.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_19_Tima__SouthPAC__Noan_LeBescot_CNRS_Tara_Oceans_2011.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_20_Radiolarian_NorthPAC_Luis_Gutierrez_Herredia_UCD_Tara_OCeans_2011.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_18_Blue_copepod__SouthPAC__Noan_LeBescot_CNRS_Tara_OCeans_2011.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_22_Ostracod_-_Ostracoda_NorthPAC_Luis_Gutierrez_Herredia_UCD_Tara_OCeans_2011.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_23_Phronima_-_Amphipod_NorthPAC_Luis_Gutierrez_Herredia_UCD_Tara_OCeans_2011.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_24_Porpita_Bottom_-_Cnidaria_NorthPAC_Luis_Gutierrez_Herredia_UCD_Tara_Oceans_2011.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.

35_21_Copepod_NorthPAC_Luis_Gutierrez_Herredia_UCD_Tara_OCeans_2011.jpg — Tara Oceans Project

This microscopic image shows a new species of plankton discovered by the Tara Expedition.