Name a New Species

Trilobodrilus Ellenscrippsae — Recently, a newly discovered annelid found on La Jolla Shores was named after Scripps benefactor Ellen Browning Scripps.

Every year Scripps Oceanographic Collections staff and researchers discover new species of marine creatures. Some specimens set new records, such as the stout infantfish (Schindleria brevipinguis), co-described by Scripps as the world's smallest fish in 2004.

Traditionally, the person who first describes a newfound plant or animal is entitled to name it, but now, Scripps is inviting the public to share in the process by naming select newly discovered species acquired by the institution. The names can be selected by a donor for themself or a friend or family member, and are then introduced in scientific publications that establish the new species name permanently.

The cost to name Scripps' newly discovered creatures starts at $5,000. Donors who name a species will receive a framed print of their named organism, as well as a copy of the scientific publication in which it is first described.

For more information about how you can support the Scripps Oceanographic Collections by naming a species, or to join us for a tour, please contact us at (858) 822-1865 or supportscripps@ucsd.edu.

Please see below for the newest available species in need of a name.

Updates pending August 2023

$5,000
Pisionidens new species from Baja, Mexico

This new species is from the beach sands of the Gulf of California. It lives right in the surf zone and was first collected from San Francisquito.

$5,000
Rubifabriciola new species from Beaufort, North Carolina.

This new species is from the salt marshes of North Carolina. It has two pairs of red eyes; one at each end of its body. It is a filter-feeder and the females broods their offspring in their tubes.

$5,000
Chrysopetalum new species A3639 from Raja Ampat, Indonesia.

This new species from near the stunning Kri Island (Raja Ampat) in eastern Indonesia also occurs in north Western Australia (Ningaloo). Chrysopetalum refers to the golden plates that cover the back of the body.

$5,000
Dysponetus new species from off California.

This new species was found in deep sea sediments at a seamount called Patton Ridge. It is another member of Chrysopetalidae but has golden spines instead of plates refers to the golden plates covering the back of the body.

$5,000
Branchinotogluma new species 1 from Pacific methane seeps.

This new species of scaleworm lives from 1000-1800 meters depths at methane seeps off the Pacific coast of Central America. These seeps are under intense study by Scripps and other scientists and many new species have been discovered here.

$5,000
Branchinotogluma new species 2 from Pacific methane seeps.

$5,000
Branchinotogluma new species 3 from Pacific methane seeps

This new species of scaleworm lives from 1400-1800 meters depths at methane seeps off the eastern Pacific and also at seep in the Gulf of California (Mexico). These seeps are under intense study by Scripps and other scientists and many new species have been discovered here.

$5,000
Antonbruunia from San Diego, California whalefall.

This new species of symbiotic scaleworm lives in male/female pairs in clam shells and is only the 4th species of this group known worldwide.

$5,000
Hesiospina from hydrothermal vents off Fiji and Tonga.

This is a new species of Hesionidae, a group named after the Hesione, the Princess of Troy. Hesionids have diversified at hydrothermal vents and seeps and are a major group of study.

$5,000
Parahesione from Papua New Guinea.

This is another new species of Hesionidae from the warm shallow water off northern Papua New Guinea (Madang). It was found living in the burrow of a crustacean and so is similar to the only other known species of this genus (from the northeast United States).

$10,000

Macellicephalinae new species 1 from eastern Pacific.

We call this the IceDragon worm owing to its beautiful blue color. This new species of scaleworm lives from 3600 meters depths living on a predatory glass sponge in the eastern Pacific. We found a single pair of the same sponge.

$10,000
Hyalogyrina new species from San Diego, California.

This is a very common gastropod snail found at methane seeps throughout the Pacific. There are only 8 species of Hyalogyrina known and they are normally associated with hydrothermal vents or methane seeps. Eastern Pacific seeps are under intense study by Scripps and other scientists and many new species have been discovered here.

$10,000
Idas new species from eastern Pacific.

In mythology, Idas was one of the Argonauts. In animal taxonomy, it refers to a genus of bivalves. These are in Mytilidae, which includes mussels that we eat. Idas however, is mainly a deep-sea group and is found associated with methane seeps and wood and whale falls. It uses symbiotic bacteria in its gills for food and these break down hydrogen sulfide available at these habitats. This new species is from methane seeps off the eastern Pacific. These seeps are under intense study by Scripps and other scientists and many new species have been discovered here.

$25,000
Biremis new species from the eastern Pacific.

Biremis blandi was found in 1973 from deep water off the Bahamas. It is a very unusual terebellid (spaghetti worm) in that it swims and doesn't live in a tube. We have discovered a second species of Biremis from deep water off Central America.