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August 20, 2020: Coral

Originally thought to be in the genus Anthomastus, a quick zoom on these basketball-sized corals seen during the 2017 Laulima O Ka Moana: Exploring Deep Monument Waters Around Johnston Atoll expedition revealed sub-branching below the polyps, and scientists revised their identification to the genus Bellonella, illustrating the value and power of the high-definition cameras on the remotely operated vehicle.

Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2017 Laulima O Ka Moana. Download larger version (jpg, 506 KB).

Originally thought to be in the genus Anthomastus, a quick zoom on these basketball-sized corals seen during the 2017 Laulima O Ka Moana: Exploring Deep Monument Waters Around Johnston Atoll expedition revealed sub-branching below the polyps, and scientists revised their identification to the genus Bellonella, illustrating the value and power of the high-definition cameras on the remotely operated vehicle.