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June 28, 2021: Sea Cucumber

This image provides a view of the escape swimmer Benthothuria, flexing so strongly that the mouth has been brought into view.

Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Gulf of Mexico Expedition 2012. Download larger version (jpg, 1.1 MB).

During the Gulf of Mexico 2012 expedition, we encountered deep-sea holothuroids, also known as “sea cucumbers,” which can manage to remain buoyant in the water column remarkably well. This image provides a view of the escape swimmer Benthothuria, flexing so strongly that the mouth has been brought into view. Read about how these sea cucumbers have mastered the art of buoyancy.