July 9, 2021: Warty Octopus
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Deep Connections 2019. Download larger version (jpg, 1.4 MB).
This warty octopus (Graneledone verrucosa) was observed stretching out during a Deep Connections 2019 expedition dive to explore a minor box canyon located between Block Canyon and Alvin Canyon. The dive site was selected due to models predicting that it would contain suitable habitat for deep-sea corals and sponges, and indeed, we did observe yellow octocorals, purple stoloniferous corals, bubblegum corals, and black corals, as well as many other different kinds of marine life during the dive.