Channel: EVNautilus

Category: Science & Technology

Tags: marine biologybiologye/v nautilusrov herculescorps of explorationnautilus livegeologyocean explorationrobert ballardrov argus

Description: Throughout the expedition Luʻuaeaahikiikapapakū, the team visited never-before-surveyed seamounts searching for high-density coral and sponge communities working to identify potentially new-to-science biological specimens. The slopes of this unnamed Central Pacific seamount near Don Quixote Seamount treated the team to dramatic views of the stunning biodiversity of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Like shallow reefs, deep-sea coral gardens are made up of many different species that come in all shapes, colors, and sizes and our team never tires of exploring them; some of these sightings even prompt the Lead Scientist’s coveted “Double Guacamole” rating from the control room! These dual-ROV views show sponges, corals, crustaceans, hydroids, sea cucumbers, in hotspots of biological diversity that require a deeper understanding for future conservation efforts. This expedition will contribute data to better understand these amazing communities and increase our knowledge of how and where they form. Locating, characterizing, and understanding the distribution of these hot-spots of biological diversity are of particular interest to managers and researchers for future conservation and exploratory efforts. Learn more about this expedition bit.ly/3HQDT9q sponsored by NOAA Ocean Exploration and the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. E/V Nautilus is exploring unknown regions of the ocean seeking out new discoveries in biology, geology, and archaeology. Join us 24/7 for live video from the seafloor and to ask questions of our explorers currently aboard Nautilus: nautiluslive.org. Follow us on social media for dive updates, expedition highlights, and more: Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=EVNautilus Facebook: facebook.com/nautiluslive Twitter: twitter.com/evnautilus Instagram: instagram.com/nautiluslive