June 30, 2021: Crinoid and Coral
Image courtesy of Deepwater Canyons 2013 - Pathways to the Abyss, NOAA Ocean Exploration/BOEM/USGS. Download larger version (jpg, 745 KB).
Close-up of a crinoid attached to bubblegum coral (Paragorgia) seen during the Deepwater Canyons 2013: Pathways to the Abyss expedition. The coral’s polyps are extended in a feeding position. Both animals capture small organisms and organic matter in the water column as it drifts by.
From: Coral Gardens: Forests of the Deep.