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June 29, 2021: Brittle Star

In this symbiotic relationship, a brittle star clings to a black coral, getting a lift off the seafloor and higher into the water column for feeding or for protection.

Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Océano Profundo 2015: Exploring Puerto Rico’s Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs. Download larger version (jpg, 1.3 MB).

In this symbiotic relationship, a brittle star clings to a black coral, getting a lift off the seafloor and higher into the water column for feeding or for protection. Seen during an Océano Profundo 2015: Exploring Puerto Rico’s Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs expedition dive.