April 24, 2021: King Crab
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Exploring Atlantic Canyons and Seamounts 2014. Download larger version (jpg, 1.4 MB).
This king crab was spotted feasting on a pancake urchin in Ryan Canyon during the Our Deepwater Backyard: Exploring Atlantic Canyons and Seamounts 2014 expedition. This was one of several examples of deep-sea predation encountered over the course of the expedition. Visit this log on predation in the deep sea to watch video of the king crab and other predation events. While these videos definitely rank high on the "cool" factor, being able to witness these kinds of predation events offers scientists unique glimpses into the lives and behaviors of critters of the deep.