Here’s an image from yesterday’s dive to 300 m at a Green Canyon site with SeaView’s SeaEye Falcon ROV in the Gulf of Mexico. The photo shows a diverse assemblage of deep suspension-feeders. Two different species of brittlestars rest on Callogorgia sp. sea fans surrounded by white Actinia sp anemones, yellow crinoids, and Anthomastus sp. soft corals. This was only one of the highlights. Check out NOAA’s Ocean Explorer website for my story on the monstrous black coral about 3 m across.
Peter,
Is the ROV able to get samples? The ROV crew were working on Lophelia sampling. I’m crossing my fingers for the next leg.
Well, it depends on the day, if you know what I mean, but we collected more than a half dozen gorgonians yesterday. So, she’s capable. Today we’d be lucky just to see one. But if you can find it they can probably pick it up.
Excellent news. From the reports off the last leg, they were having trouble getting anything. Not to mention all of the mishaps that disabled the ROV.
Will you still be in Pascagoula on the 3rd of Oct, or will you have trucked on home? It’d be nice to meet you. I didn’t know you were on the same set of cruises as I will be until you posted “Expedition Underway.”
I take from this exchange that the Nancy Foster has full (if slow) internet access? If so, I may be able to blog the cruise, which would be really cool.
Most of the operational kinks are worked out and the weather has calmed down. You should be good to go. The Nancy Foster DOES have internet access, even wireless. So blog away Lab Boy, we’ll tag along. I fly out Oct 3 sometime around noon. Let’s get together if we can.
Which stony corals grow deeper than black coral? I’ve heard of golden coral (not to be confused with Golden Corral) but am not well-versed in its environment.
Taken as a whole, black corals are the deepest zoantharians on record, I believe, but some species of cup corals grow deeper than some species of black corals, if that makes sense at all.
Anthozoan depth records are listed here if you’re interested:
http://scienceblogs.com/deepseanews/2007/12/instant_anthozoa.php
Well, it looks like I won’t be in Pascagoula until the evening of the 3rd, unless I drive really fast. I guess I’ll miss you this time. Bummer.