Image Archive

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This anemone’s color can vary from white, to red-orange, and brown. It was found attached to a platform interface assembly at the Oregon offshore site at about 195 m in depth. Credit: UW/OOI-NSF/WHOI; Dive J2-970; V17.

Sea cucumbers of Paelopatides species can be confused with species of Benthodytes, and species identification requires specimen examination. The holothurian assumes a vertical posture for swimming and can sustain active swimming for more than 20 minutes. This sea cucumber was found swimming at the Slope Base site (~2900 m). Credit: UW/OOI-NSF/WHOI; Dive J2-973; V17.

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This nudibranch was found on a shallow winched profiler at a depth of 200 m at the cabled Oregon offshore site. Credit: UW/OOI-NSF/WHOI; Dive J2-971; V17.

Blue sharks range in size from 6 ft to 12 ft in length. This shark was found roughly in the upper 100 m of Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/OOI-NSF/WHOI; Dive J2-997; V17

Dinner plate jellies are found in the water column at depths of 700 to 1000 meters. They were seen frequently at Hydrate Ridge in the water column at various depths. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1777; V14

The anemone we found was purple in color and only had tentacles on the top around its oral disc, it was unable to be properly identified. This anemone was found on a rock at a depth of 775 m at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1758; V14.

The roughtail skate has a broad nose and sharp scales on the surface. Roughtail skates are around 91 cm in length. This skate was seen at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1777; V14.

This particular sea cucumber was seen near the seafloor at Slope Base, “swimming” in the water column at a depth of 2897 m, just above the seafloor.  It looked purplish-brown from a distance, and closer it looked purplish-pink. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1757; V14

Sablefish range from 30 cm to 61 cm in length. They can live up to 90 years with one fish having been documented living 94 years. Multiple sablefish were seen along the seafloor at 580 m down at the Oregon Off Shore site. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1770; V14.

These snails lay eggs in a spiral tower and the adult snail sits on top of the tower waiting for the eggs to hatch. The snails were all clustered together along a cable route SUM1W2 at Southern Hydrate Ridge. We did not see the snails at any location other than here. The depth at this location was 776 m. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI//CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1758; V14

These clams thrive in hydrogen sulfide-rich environments, like the methane seep at Einstein's Grotto at Southern Hydrate Ridge. They usually have white shells and are typically partially buried beneath the sediment. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1750; V14.

Hermit crabs belonging to the genus Pagurus use snail shells as homes. There are over 170 species of hermit crab in this genus. These two hermit crabs were seen at Southern Hydrate Ridge at depth of 774 m. The species was unable to be identified. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1750; V14

The Scarlet King Crab was seen at multiple locations along Hydrate Ridge. It was often found in sandier substrate, however it was also found among a large group of snails. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1758; V14

The Venus Flytrap Anemone resembles the carnivorous plant found on land. It is a member of the family “Actinoscyphiidae”, but it is unknown as to how many species there are. This anemone was seen at Slope Base at a depth of 2900 m rooted in the sediment on the seafloor. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1757; V14

The Voragonema pedunculata has been measured up to 4 cm in diameter. This jelly was found at Southern Hydrate Ridge around 790 m. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1769; V14

This coral is not rigid, but is soft -it does not produce a calcium carbonate skeleton. The soft coral is at Southern Hydrate Ridge and the Pinnacle at depths around 775 m deep.

Neptune Canada’s guide included it in the “sea anemone” category because of similarity, but it belongs to another order: Corallimorpharia. This Corallimorph anemone was spotted on the seafloor at Southern Hydrate Ridge at a depth of 774 m.

The Pom-Pom Anemone actually looks like a pom-pom. The anemone does not attach to any substrate, and it has the ability to roll along the sea floor like tumbleweed because ocean currents propel it. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1765; V14

Snailfish are scaleless with thin, loose gelatinous skin. This snailfish was seen at Southern Hydrate Ridge at a depth of about 600 m. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1774; V14.

Eelpouts have been spotted at Southern Hydrate Ridge around the FLOBN-MOS1 site at a water depth of ~775 m Credit: UW/NSF-OOI//CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1784; V14.

This Sole at Southern Hydrate Ridge is at a depth of 769 m. It was laying along the seafloor in cobbly sediment. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI//CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1765; V14.