February 10, 2021: Blind Lobster
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Gulf of Mexico 2017. Download larger version (jpg, 1.1 MB).
A blind white lobster (Acanthacaris caeca) defends its space as remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer comes in for a closer look during the first dive of the Gulf of Mexico 2017 expedition. In the image, you can see the very characteristic posture of the blind lobster, with its long, slender front claws held out and two of its forelegs held forward. The claws have very sharp teeth along them, making this one lobster you might not want to encounter in person!
For a few additional highlights from this expedition, check out this “Gulf of Mexico 2017: Highlight Images” mission log.