During the ninth dive of the 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration expedition, we encountered a "field" of ophiacanthid brittle stars, which covered the seafloor at 837 meters (2,746 feet) depth. This image shows several of the brittle stars clinging to a heavily sedimented rock.
"Field" of Ophiacanthid Brittle Stars
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS: West Coast Exploration. Download larger version (jpg, 1.49 MB).

During the ninth dive of the 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration expedition, we encountered a "field" of ophiacanthid brittle stars, which covered the seafloor at 837 meters (2,746 feet) depth. This image shows several of the brittle stars clinging to a heavily sedimented rock.