This pink gorgonian coral was photographed by ROV Tiburon at a depth of about 1,700 meters (5,600 feet) during an expedition to Davidson Seamount in 2002. Several small pink shrimp are climbing on the coral, perhaps eating small animals or bits of the coral itself. From MBARI.
More like this
This is the second in a series of five referenced articles about shared characteristics between deep and shallow water corals
This just out from NOAA:
Coral is a polyphyletic term for polypoid animals in the cnidarian classes Anthozoa and Hydrozoa that secrete either 1) a black, horn like proteinaceous axis or 2) carbonate skeletal material in the form of either a) continuous skeleton or b) an assemblage of microscopic, individual sclerites (Ca
Has this pink shrimp been collected and/or identified? I would be interested to know whether it may be an Alvinocarid or Hippolytid species of shrimp.
What a beautiful site! Is there a book that has a collection of these type of pictures? This would be beneficial to my elementary students who have never been to an ocean or seen sea life.
Great question Blondie, will do a post today on best books for children.
Does this gorgonian have a name yet, Craig? It looks like a Primnoid (prim-no-id).
Kevin, we've seen Heptacarpus sp. at similar depths/environs.
It does look like it could be a Heptacarpus due to its transparent carapace. Might also be a Lebbeus too. L. washingtonianus is fairly cosmopolitan and L. carinata was described from vents on the EPR. Anyone looking at these shrimp specimens?