Researchers find active hydrothermal vents on Pacific seamount serving as skate nursery

September 6, 2026 at 10:06 AM1 min

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Researchers discovered an active hydrothermal vent field on a previously thought extinct underwater volcano in the Pacific Ocean. The warm mineral-rich waters have created a massive nursery for Pacific white skates, with an estimated 100,000 to 1 million egg cases covering the summit.

Key Facts

The underwater volcano rises 1,100 meters and lies at a depth of 1.5 kilometers in the Pacific Ocean.
Researchers estimate between 100,000 and 1 million egg cases cover the crater surface.
Pacific white skates live at depths of 800 to 2,900 meters and can reach two meters in length.
Embryo development normally takes four years but is accelerated by the volcanic heat.
The ecosystem has no official protection status and is at risk from commercial fishing.

The Discovery

Researchers identified active hydrothermal vents on a 1,100-meter underwater volcano in the Pacific Ocean that was previously believed extinct. The volcano's summit lies at a depth of 1.5 kilometers. Hot mineral-rich water erupting from the vents has transformed the crater into a massive nursery for Pacific white skates.

Egg Case Abundance

The research team found hundreds of thousands of rectangular egg capsules up to half a meter long on the crater surface. Estimates range from 100,000 to 1 million eggs on the summit. Pacific white skates are a little-studied species living at depths of 800 to 2,900 meters and reaching two meters in length. Embryo development normally takes four years, but the warm water from the volcano accelerates the process.

Conservation Concerns

During the expedition, scientists recorded for the first time a female skate laying eggs. The unique ecosystem currently has no official protection status. Commercial fishing activities pose a risk to the nursery site.