The high diversity and endemism of benthic species on seamounts are extensively documented. Although the number of squat lobster species from seamount habitats has increased, species from the Central Indian Ridge (CIR) and Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) systems remain largely unknown. The hydrothermally active Indian Ridge system harbours potential sites for future Seafloor Massive Sulphides (SMS) mining. Since seabed mining may create a long-lasting impact on the deep-sea ecosystems, it could harm the unique deep-sea life associated with mineral deposits. This study identified two undescribed squat lobster specimens: one from the genus Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1874 from the CIR system in water depths ranging from 1981 to 2033 m, and one from the genus Typhlonida Macpherson & Baba in Machordom, Ahyong, Andreakis, Baba, Buckley, Garcia-Jimenez, McCallum, Rodriguez-Flores & Macpherson, 2022 from the SWIR system in depths ranging from 2070 to 2404 m. Both new species may be distinguished morphologically and genetically based on the partial mitochondrial (mtCOI) gene. To generate baseline environmental and biodiversity data, efforts for accurate sampling and correct identification of biological species are required

A sediment sample with high abundance (19 spherules in ~ 85 g) of spherules was recovered from Central Indian Ridge (CIR) segment S2 (70° 54′ E, 25° 14′ S to 70° 50′ E, 24° 41′ S), ~ 85 km north of Rodrigues triple junction (RTJ). On the external surface of the spherules, magnetite appears as crystals, whereas wustite mostly appears as a homogenous glass phase. These spherules are composed of wustite and magnetite hosting Mn, unlike micrometeorites which essentially host Ni. Mn is more heterogeneously distributed with a relatively higher concentration in the wustite phase than the magnetite, suggesting hydrothermal origin. Furthermore, the presence of sulfide nano-particles in the wustite phase and a minor quantity of Pb and S in the ferrihydrite matrix points to the fact that CIR spherules are of hydrothermal origin. The CIR spherules could have formed either by the interaction of the reduced hydrothermal fluids with the ultramafic/basaltic rocks or silica-undersaturated magmatic melts, or by alteration of original particles (such as cosmic spherules, volcanic spherules, or even foraminifera) via Mn-bearing hydrothermal fluids, such as released during the serpentinization of ultramafic rocks. The finding of Mn hosting wustite-magnetite assemblage suggests an hydrothermal system in the near vicinity and can be considered as an additional proxy for indication of hydrothermal activity.

Telestula ridgensis sp. nov. is a deep-sea octocoral species collected from the Central Indian Ridges (CIR) seamount. The megabenthic communities were sampled from the depths between 1917 and 2053 m using a benthic sledge. It forms part of a baseline environmental and benthic ecological assessment. All these data will be functional in assessing the impact of future massive sulfide mining in the Indian Ocean. We describe a new octocoral species based on integrative taxonomic methods through morphological comparison and molecular phylogenetics. The sclerome of the new species consists of short, stellate plates, crosses, and irregularly shaped and branching forms with dense tubercular ornamentation. The polyp sclerites are arranged in longitudinal rows underneath the tentacles. Two mitochondrial DNA genes (mtMutS and COI) and one ribosomal nuclear DNA gene (28S rRNA) were sequenced to separate the new species. The phylogenetic analyses strongly support the placement of new species in the genus Telestula clade.

Water column physico‐chemical studies were conducted over the southern Central Indian Ridge between 24°44’S and 25°52’S to identify and chemically characterize seafloor hydrothermal activity. High turbidity values were observed between 2300 and 2700 m with two distinct layers, between water depths of 2320–2500 m and 2510–2650 m, at two closely spaced CTD stations at 24°48.62’S (CTD‐17‐P5) and 24°48.68’S (CTD‐17‐P8). Elevated concentrations of dissolved Mn (DMn: 19–112 nM), dissolved Fe (DFe: 33–88 nM), methane (CH₄: 32–246 nM), elevated δ³He values (28%–88%), and stable carbon isotope ratios of CH₄ confirm the hydrothermal origin. In plume layer‐1, the maximum concentrations were observed at 2375m at P8 and in plume layer‐2, the maximum concentrations were observed at 2570 m at P5. The stable isotope ratios of methane (δ¹³C‐CH₄) show that heavier isotopes are enriched (−13.2‰ to −14.7‰) in the plume waters and are similar to vent fluids on the global mid‐oceanic ridges. Further, morphological and mineralogical studies of plume particles, collected from the plume layer‐2 maxima, clearly show the presence of barite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and indicate possible venting of high‐temperature fluids in the vicinity of P5. Enrichment in methane relative to the other tracers and the general geochemical characteristics of these two plume layers, CH₄/Mn (1.8–2.2); CH₄/Δ³He (85–97 × 10⁶), Mn/Δ³He (44–46 × 10⁶), Fe/Δ³He (52–54 × 10⁶), indicate that these plumes are formed from fluids released at the seafloor that circulated through ultramafic/gabbroic rocks. The high concentrations of dissolved gases and metals combined with the presence of sulfide particles in the water column provide evidence for a new ultramafic/gabbroic‐hosted hydrothermal vent field, at 24°49’S on the southern Central Indian Ridge.