February 2, 2021: Iridigorgia Coral
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Deep-Sea Symphony: Exploring the Musicians Seamounts. Download larger version (jpg, 1.1 MB).
This stunning image clearly shows the spirals that are so characteristic of Iridigorgia deep-sea corals. This coral was imaged during the first dive of the Deep-Sea Symphony: Exploring the Musicians Seamounts expedition, which involved exploration of a site dubbed "Tropic of Cancer" seamount, located about 90 nautical miles north of Oahu, Hawaii, at a depth of approximately 1,900 meters (6,230 feet). Check out a video from the dive that highlights the diverse coral and sponge communities that were encountered.