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Scientists involved with the world’s first Census of Marine Life have been hard at work for the few years, discovering and cataloguing species found in some of the unexplored parts of the Oceans.  The purpose of the census is to better understand the vast biodiversity contained in the world’s oceans, the distribution and magnitude of marine populations, and the migratory and other behavioural patterns of some key species.

Their fourth update was released earlier this month, and contained some fantastic discoveries, including a species of octopus that is the common living ancestor of all modern octopus species, a new species of giant starfish, an undiscovered underwater continent in the mid-Atlantic, and a “shark cafe”, a spot between California and Hawaii where white sharks like to gather (their reasons are still being investigated).

Aside from the scientific understanding and attention to environmental concerns the census raises, the best part of an exploratory mission of this magnitude is the awesome pictures of crazy underwater species we get to see!  Marine life can be so different from anything we see on land that it sometimes appears strange and alien.  Especially the jellyfish.  Those crazy crazy jellyfish.  Check out the census’ image gallery, and mark October 2010 on your calendars, so you don’t miss their final report!