July 28, 2021: Deep-Sea Skate
Image courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust - Cruise NA124. Download larger version (jpg, 5.9 MB).
This mixed hard and soft bottom community was observed on Cortes Bank during the Benthic Communities and Their Biopharmaceutical Potential Across Mineral-Rich Marine Biomes expedition. Rocky substrates seen during the dive included slabs of possible phosphorite encrusted with multiple deep-sea sponge species. Other invertebrates included fragile pink urchins (Strongylocentrotus fragilis) feeding on drift kelp debris and squat lobsters using rocks as shelter. A large deep-sea skate (Bathyraja abyssicola), shown here, was seen on the softer substrate.
Biodiversity surveys such as those conducted during the expedition are a powerful tool in pushing the frontiers of our knowledge into these unknown regions. Our oceans have the potential to provide innumerable benefits to humans, including life-saving medicines. With current trends in global biodiversity, it is increasingly important to collect this valuable data for conservation and management of the global ocean.
From: Why Are Biodiversity Surveys Important?.