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August 10, 2021: Monkfish

This highly camouflaged monkfish was observed blending into the seafloor during a Windows to the Deep 2018 expedition dive to explore a potential shipwreck target off the coast of North Carolina.

Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Windows to the Deep 2018. Download larger version (jpg, 1.0 MB).

This highly camouflaged monkfish was observed blending into the seafloor during a Windows to the Deep 2018 expedition dive to explore a potential shipwreck target off the coast of North Carolina. Instead of finding a shipwreck, however, the team found a rocky habitat that was home to a number of fish, crabs, anemones, and coral.

Thanks to the telepresence technology on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, we were able to quickly shift gears from potential shipwreck exploration to having biologists and geologists join on shore from around the world as we explored a rich marine habitat. Check out video from the “Big Dipper” sonar anomaly.