Scientists say that a huge stretch of the ocean floor, intended for deep sea mining, is home to thousands of strange creatures, most of which are unknown to science.. Among them are strange worms, brightly colored sea cucumbers and corals..

More than 5,000 different creatures have been found in the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean, researchers say.. This area is one of the main contenders for the extraction of precious metals from the bottom of the sea, which may begin this year..

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“We need to know what biodiversity is and what we can lose from any impact of mining,” she added..

The researchers looked at hundreds of scientific articles and thousands of database entries to compile a list of life forms in the region..

Of the thousands of registered "

Discovered animals evolved over millions of years in isolation in the cold and dark conditions of the ocean floor. About 90% of them were not known to science, so they have yet to be given a name and determine their place on the tree of life..

Scientists have previously said that Rice's whales, a species that was discovered only last year, are already on the verge of extinction.. At the moment, 51 individuals of this species are known..