This pink sea cucumber (Holothuria) was spotted during Dive 09 of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration 😍
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #seacucumber #holothurians

These troublemaking squid were constant companions for the scientists during Dive 09 of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration, stirring up sediment and casting shadows as they zoomed in front of the cameras!
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #squid #seafloor

Fishing line, both old and new, as seen entangled on this fan coral, was prevalent throughout Dive 10 of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration.
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#deepsea #MarineLife #corals

Pencil sea urchin on top of a glass sponge on top of a demosponge (Verongiida)!
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #seasponge #glasssponge #seaurchins

This painted yeti squat lobster is carrying off a piece of glass sponge.. Is it dinner, home decor, a gift?
Your guess is as good as ours.
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #seasponge #glasssponge #squatlobster

Say hi to this adorable shy swallowtail bass😍
(Anthias woodsi)
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #fish #bass

A visit from this ocean sunfish (Mola mola) was one of the highlights of Dive 10 of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration!
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #fish #sunfish

Giant isopod (Bathynomous giganteus)!
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#deepsea #MarineLife #isopod #sealife

This glass sponge (cf. Lefroyella)was covered with yellow zoanthids and surrounded by a variety of colorful soft corals!
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #seasponge #glasssponge #sealife

#Deepsea swimming sea cucumbers (Pelagothuriidae) are sometimes seen on the #seafloor and sometimes in the water column.
Due to its semitransparent body, we can see its intestine, which is filled with sand from which it extracts its nutrients!
📷NOAA
#marinelife #biology

Sea lily, a stalked crinoid!
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#deepsea #MarineLife #crinoids #sealife

This giant #isopod is snacking on a fish head!
These #deepsea scavengers are close relatives of the pill bugs, rolly pollies, and sowbugs found in houses and gardens, but Bathynomus giganteus is much, much larger, growing up to a 1.5ft!
📽️NOAA
#marinelife #biology

A glass sponge (Euplectellidae)😍
If you look closely, you can see one of the shrimp that calls it home!
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #seasponge #glasssponge #shrimp

The iconic glass sponge Aphrocallistes beatrix is very important because of its potential health benefits.
This sponge has been found to contain a compound that may be able to help fight pancreatic and breast cancer.
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #seasponge #glasssponge

Black #corals (Antipatharia) were seen during most, if not all, of the dives of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. #deepsea Exploration.
This one, with its densely packed polyps, was seen a few times on Dive 12!
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #CoralsWeek

This intricate and robust octocoral (Corallidae) was seen on a largely sparse seafloor during Dive 12 of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration!
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #corals #octocoral

Striking a pose! 📸
This my friends is a goosefish (Sladenia shaefersi)!
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #fish #goosefish #biology

This #chimaera , at roughly 50cm was the largest and darkest seen during the 2019 Southeastern U.S. #Deepsea Exploration.
The dots on its head are electroreceptors, ampullae of Lorenzini, that can detect minute electrical signals generated by their prey.
📷NOAA
#marinelife

Everyone loves a dumbo octopus.
This one is an Opisthoteuthis agassizii!
The dots are clear windows in the skin.
We are uncertain of their purpose, but suspect they may gather additional light.
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #octopus #dumbo

Squat lobster (squatting🙊) on a glass sponge!
📷NOAA
#deepsea #MarineLife #seasponge #glasssponge #squatlobster