This sea cucumber, dubbed the “gummy squirrel” (Psychropotes longicauda), was seen at 5,100 m depth on abyssal sediments in the western Clarion-Clipperton Zone. This animal is approximately 60 cm long (including tail),…
This curious little animal is a sponge! It belongs to the order Poecilosclerida and, unlike the filter-feeding sponges that passively capture prey items such as larvae or small crustaceans from the water…
This dark ctenophore was observed with its tentacles fully extended at approximately 1,460 m deep in the Gulf of Mexico. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration. This week: the legality of a pause in…
This Hemicorallium coral was observed during the second dive of the Seascape Alaska 3 expedition at a depth of approximately 2,270 m. This may represent the first observation of this genus of corals…
A basket star (Gorgonocephalus sp.) with an intricate network of bifurcating arms, imaged at 677 m during the Seascape Alaska 3 expedition. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Seascape Alaska. This week: a new open-access book on…
This purple holothurian, Psychropotes sp., feeds on organic sediment deposits. This species has a distinct “sail” over its posterior end, the function of which is unclear. Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research,…
This fragile jellyfish belongs to the genus Solmissus; its species are unique among cnidarians in that they actively hunt for prey as opposed to passively waiting for plankton to pass by. Image courtesy of NOAA/UAF/Global…
We’re back after a brilliant week in Hong Kong for DOSI Day 2025 and the 17th Deep-Sea Biology Symposium! This week: another bumper issue of publications, including deep-sea diversity patterns, seamount community structure…