Eurythenes plasticus

Eurythenes plasticus is a species of amphipod of the genus Eurythenes, first described in 2020.^[1] It was named in reference to the PET plastic found in its stomach,^[2] after researchers wanted to highlight the impact of plastic pollution.^[3]

Eurythenes plasticus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Amphipoda
Family:	Eurytheneidae
Genus:	Eurythenes
Species:	E. plasticus
Binomial name
Eurythenes plasticus Weston, 2020

Eurythenes plasticus was found at depths between 6,010 m (19,720 ft) and 6,949 m (22,799 ft) deep in the Mariana Trench of the Pacific Ocean in 2014.^[4] Researchers from Newcastle University caught four specimens, one of which had plastic particles in its body.^[3] The plastic microfibre that was found in its hindgut was 84% similar to PET plastic,^[4] showing plastic pollution affects marine organisms even 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) below sea level.

References

• Crustaceans portal

1. "Researchers discover new amphipod in the Mariana Trench and name it after plastic found in its body". Oceanographic Magazine. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
2. "The new face of the plastics crisis". Newcastle University. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
3. "Eurythenes plasticus: A deep-sea crustacean full of plastic". Deutsche Welle. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
4. Johanna N. J. Weston; Priscilla Carrillo-Barragan; Thomas D. Linley; William D. K. Reid; Alan J. Jamieson (5 March 2020). "New species of Eurythenes from hadal depths of the Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean (Crustacea: Amphipoda)". Zootaxa. 4748 (1): 163–181. doi:10.11646/ZOOTAXA.4748.1.9. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 32230092. Wikidata Q87566725.