Deep-Sea Habitats in the Mariana Islands II

Atop an unnamed seamount in the Federated States of Micronesia, we met golden slit snails from the superfamily Pleurotomariidae. Beautiful and vibrant, these snails are part of an ancient family of gastropods dating back to the Cambrian era and are a testament to the deep sea's wonders. 

Sea cucumbers can often be found munching on the soft sediment of the abyssal plain; their lives defined by the fact that the seascape they traverse is also the one they eat. As our ROVs fly over the ancient seafloor, beholding these wonderful sea pickles, we rarely catch a glimpse of their rather hungry undersides, including the ring of tubefeet that feed our favorite invertebrate.

Returning to E/V Nautilus for the NA180 expedition as Lead Scientist is Larry Mayer. Dr. Mayer is the Director of the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping / Joint Hydrographic Center at the University of New Hampshire and Chair of OET's Board of Directors. A geologist and world expert in mapping technology, Larry is leading the team, assisting in closing gaps in seafloor coverage.