A cylindrical, white glass sponge attached to a dark, textured rock stands vertically on a sandy seabed surrounded by more dark, textured rocks.
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Glass Sponge
This glass sponge (Dictyaulus sp.) was collected from a large crater at the top of a seamount — along with a fragment of the polymetallic encrusted volcanic rock it was attached to — during Dive 01 of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition.
Credit

NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration