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 News :. Giant spiders, prickly sharks found off NZ

A giant sea spider the size of a dinner plate and armoured shrimps are just some of the new species discovered by a marine expedition in deep water north-west of New Zealand.

Researchers on a New Zealand and Australian research voyage also photographed deep sea sponges and a prickly shark, said New Zealand government agency the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

Scientists spent four weeks aboard the NIWA research vessel Tangaroa collecting and photographing species at depths up to two kilometres.

An international group of scientists recorded and photographed more than 500 species of fish and 1,300 species of marine invertebrates.

Mark Norman of Museum Victoria said the survey around Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands was the most complex research expedition ever conducted in Australasia.

"Many species new to science were recognised including new sharks and rays, redfish, rattails, and a range of invertebrates," Mr Norman said on the voyage's web site (www.oceans.gov.au/norfanz).

New Zealand's Ministry of Fisheries and Australia's National Oceans Office each committed NZ$500,000 ($AU437,000) to the four-week voyage, which ended earlier this month.

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