Philippines has discovered more than 300 new species in the island of Luzon after scientists from the country together with the California Academy of Science ran a 42-day expedition.

According to a press release of the California Academy of Science, the newly discovered species include “dozens of new insects and spiders, deep-sea armored corals, ornate sea pens, bizarre new sea urchins and sea stars, a shrimp-eating swell shark, and over 50 colorful new sea slugs”.

The country of Philippines is considered the biodiversity hotspot with significant numbers of endemic species.

“The Philippines is one of the hottest of the hotspots for diverse and threatened life on Earth,” said Terrence Gosliner, the dean of science and research collections at the academy.

Gosliner added that the expedition had found “new species during nearly every dive and hike as we surveyed the country’s reefs, rainforests, and the ocean floor.”

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Followings are pictures of some of the newly discovered species. Click Start to begin the slideshow.

The first Trapania darvelli from the Philippines
The first Trapania darvelli from the Philippines http://www.calacademy.org
A new species of Philinopsis with a tail like a spaniel.
A new species of Philinopsis with a tail like a spaniel. http://www.calacademy.org
The first specimen of Dermatobranchus dendronephthyphagus
The first specimen of Dermatobranchus dendronephthyphagus http://www.calacademy.org
A new species of Favorinus that feeds on the eggs of other nudibranchs
A new species of Favorinus that feeds on the eggs of other nudibranchs http://www.calacademy.org
Cerberilla sp., a new species of sand-dwelling aeolid nudibranch
Cerberilla sp., a new species of sand-dwelling aeolid nudibranch http://www.calacademy.org
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