These are polyp animals in two large classes: hydras (hydrozoans), and anemones, corals and seapens (anthozoans); these are typically carnivores with tentacles having stinging cells (with nematocysts or capsules with barbed threads). (Note there are also planktonic cnidaria--cubozoans and scyphozoans or jellies--not shown here). Seapens (colonies of tiny polyps) sit vertically with a fleshy stalk in the mud;they often have a brittle star on them that is up in the current to catch detritus.
Porifera (sponges) typically filter-feed by drawing water in through small side pores, trapping food on collar cells, and exuding water out the large top opening.
A. California/Oregon/Washington Bathyal and Abyssal
(a) = abyssal plain (2300-2850m), (b) = bathyal zone--continental slope (1800-2000m) off Newport, Oregon; (mb) = 2000-3000m in Monterey Bay Canyon; (jdr)=Juan de Fuca ridge off British Columbia, 2300m
Click pictures for larger images. |
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Paractinostola faeculenta
anemone (b)*
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Anemone
unidentified (a)*
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Anemone Actinauge
abyssorum (a,ob)
(1800-5200m)
on wood, and on tubeworm
Paradiopatra sp
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Octocoral Umbellula (a) |
White anemone (a) |
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Coral2 (b)*
hydroid?
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Coral (b)*
--hydroid?
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Unknown anemone from near Juan de Fuca Ridge (jdr; 2300m) |
Unknown anemone from Monterey Bay Canyon (mb; 3000m) |
Actinauge verrillii anemone (mb; 3000m) |
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Actinauge or hormathiid
anemone (mb; 3000m) |
Stylatula gracile seawhip (mb; 200-1500m) |
Silica sponge (a)
Hyalonema sp. |
Anemone Actinauge
abyssorum (a,ob) on tubeworm
Paradiopatra sp |
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Those with "*" are ones we haven't identified at the species level. The "silica sponge" has long glass fiber-optic-like fibers for anchoring in the mud.
B. California/Oregon Subtidal
Calif. slope off Eureka (510-525m) and Hydrate Ridge (600m) off Newport, Oregon (Alvin and ROV video images).
Click pictures for larger images. |
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The deepsea mushroom coral Anthomastus ritteri (anthozoan colony, relative of corals, anemones, seapens; looks like toadstool when withdrawn)--lives 200-1500 m deep. Underwater photos are ROV and Alvin pictures; the 2nd photo I took off collected specimens; all are from Eel River Seeps off Eureka Calif, 510-520m. Righthand picture I took at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute; see the related aquarium website info page on this weird animal. See Seeps and Vents page for more submersible images
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Seapens*
with brittle stars |
Unidentified anemones from Calif. (520m) and Oregon (600m) sites. |
Amazing sponges (*; 70-1100m) seen while exploring new territory at 520m with ROV, 4/2001 |
Next: Echinoderms .... |
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