Lophelia II 2008: Extraordinary Redeye Gaper "Gulf of Mexico Deepwater"

Scientist discover a redeye gaper (Chaunax sp.) venting water at 240 meters (788 feet) depth at the Green Canyon dive site. This is the first cruise of a 4-year project to explore new deepwater coral communities in the Gulf of Mexico at both natural and man-made sites. The goal is to also characterize them in terms of coral habitat characteristics, biology, ecology, and genetic connectivity.

Little is known about the biology of many deep reef species, as they are difficult to sample by nets, trawls, or hook and line. Recent advances in deep SCUBA diving equipment, including mixed gas diving and closed-circuit rebreathers, has allowed for detailed surveys of deep reef communities and collections of many new species. These surveys have shown that deep reef areas are home to many new species that are completely unknown to science.

Please visit source: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/08lophelia/welcome.html

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• NOAA
• NOAA Ocean Explorer
• oceanexplorer
• Redeye Gaper
• Gulf of Mexico
• Underwater
• Diving
• Snorkeling
• environment
• aquatic
• wildlife
• Aliens From The Deep