The Pacific white skate can grow up to 6.5 feet long and inhabits depths from 2,600 to 9,500 feet, demonstrating remarkable adaptations to the extreme deep-sea environment.

This discovery highlights the ecological importance of volcanic habitats in supporting biodiversity and underscores the need to conserve these fragile ecosystems amid environmental threats.

Scientists have discovered an active underwater volcano off Vancouver Island that functions as a vital nursery for over a million giant eggs of the Pacific white skate, challenging previous beliefs that the site was extinct.

This volcanic site offers a rare glimpse into how life adapts to extreme deep-sea environments and serves as a natural laboratory for studying evolution and ecosystem resilience.

The skate eggs, nearly 20 inches long and leathery, contain nutrients that enhance embryo survival in the harsh conditions, with their large size indicating significant parental investment.

The volcanic environment creates a unique nursery resembling a coral garden, which is crucial for the early development of skates and similar deep-sea species.

The volcanic heat likely speeds up embryo development, which normally takes up to four years in cold deep-sea conditions, aiding hatchling survival.

Follow-up research revealed a skate laying an egg at the site in 2023, indicating the site's ongoing reproductive significance.

It also broadens understanding of how geological activity influences marine life cycles and emphasizes protecting underwater volcanic regions for future biodiversity.

The geothermal warmth from the volcano accelerates the skate eggs' four-year gestation period, providing a natural incubator that supports early development and offers a survival advantage.

The volcano, previously thought dormant since 2019, was found venting mineral-rich, hot water that supports deep-sea corals, sponges, and a large egg deposit on its summit.

This discovery underscores the importance of protecting deep-sea ecosystems from threats like climate change and mining, as they may hold vital clues to life's resilience on Earth and possibly beyond.