A new predator has been discovered at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, roaming through forests at a depth of 8,000 meters, complete with tusks and claws.

The ocean covers a vast majority of the planet's surface and is home to an incredible amount of life. However, our oceans are still extremely underexplored — sometimes, scientists claim that we know more about Mars today than we do about Earth's oceans, as noted by Popular Science.

One of the most inhospitable environments on Earth, as is known, lies beneath layers of water and is referred to as the hadal zone, named after Hades — the Greek god of the underworld. It is located at depths ranging from 4.8 to 9.6 kilometers below the ocean's surface. This zone is found only in oceanic trenches, and collectively, all hadal zones on the planet are roughly the size of Australia.

Researchers know that the hadal zone is completely dark, except for some bioluminescence that certain animals use for communication. The temperature here hovers just above freezing, and the depths are accompanied by intense pressure.

While we know little about this zone, every new species discovered here can provide crucial insights into how life has evolved on Earth and how some species manage to thrive even in the most extreme conditions.

In a new study, an international team of scientists has discovered the first large and active predatory amphipod lurking deep in the hadal zone. The scientists described the new species, which has been named Dulcibella camanchaca — a new type of shrimp-like crustacean found in both freshwater and saltwater environments worldwide.

The new species was discovered in the Atacama Trench off the coast of South America by researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts and the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO) at the University of Concepción in Concepción, Chile. According to co-author of the study and hadal ecology expert Joana Weston, the new species consists of fast-swimming predators named after the word "darkness." Thus, the scientists aimed to signify the deep and dark ocean that has become home to members of this species.

Members of this species measure about 2.5 centimeters in length, and they use specialized front legs to capture their prey. The crustaceans feed on smaller amphipod species inhabiting the nutrient-limited area of the Atacama Trench off the coasts of Peru and Chile.

Despite the Atacama Trench being cold, deep, and dark, it lies beneath very nutrient-rich surface waters, allowing some life to flourish. The trench is also far removed from other extreme environments, making it home to a very unique community of local species not found elsewhere in the world.

According to Weston, DNA and morphological data also suggest that the new species represents a new genus. This discovery indicates that the Atacama Trench is an endemic hotspot.