Spanish researchers have made a surprising discovery of ancient islands that sank beneath the sea millions of years ago, some of which still show traces of intact shorelines, reports said on Monday.

The survey results are as follows: Live Sciencewas created on a seamount, or underwater mountain, located off the east coast of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.

Named Monte Los Atlantes, the seamount is made up of three dormant volcanoes and stretches across about 31 miles, with its base about 1.4 miles below sea level. (Related: New sonar mapping study reveals details of our ancestors' ancient 'lost continent')

Scientists from the Spanish Institute of Geology and Mining (IGME-CSIC) made the discovery while exploring the seafloor as part of the Atlantis project, which aims to study underwater volcanic activity in the region.

“This could be the origin of the Atlantis legend,” project leader Luis Somoza said in an email to Live Science. The team found beaches, cliffs and sand dunes on the flat summits of the seamounts — features that indicate the islands were once above sea level.

Somoza explained that the islands probably emerged during the last ice age, when sea levels were significantly lower, and then sank again when the ice age ended.

The discovery has sparked interest in a potential link between the sunken islands and the legend of Atlantis. The team plans to analyze samples from Los Atlantis to determine when the islands began to sink, and will return to the Canary Islands next year for further study.