D658 Transect 48 Muddy slope with scarce epifauna with a few pockets of organic fluffy sediments (no visible epifauna living on them). P1. Water depth: 2900m. Feature: Gentle, muddy slope
Highlights: Purple sea cucmber Radicipes cf. gracilis Fish Sea pen - Umbellula Pink sea cucumber fish Orange anemone Octocoral - Anthomastus
The seafloor is a soft muddy bottom on a gentle slope with frequent burrows. Epifauna is sparse and includes a variety of holothurians and the octocoral Radicipes sp.. Flocculent material, most likely marine snow is observed. Litter identified included plastic and metal.
START VIDEO [00:00:00]/03:59. Muddy slope with scarce epifauna with a few pockets of organic fluffy sediments (no visible epifauna living on them). [1] ROV lands on muddy slope with scattered pteropod shells. Throughout the whole dive, muddy slope with scarce epifauna with a few pockets of organic fluffy sediments (no visible epifauna living on them). [00:16:00] ROv stops for imagery of purple sea cucumber (poss Benthothuria). [00:19:00] ROV stops for imagery of orange anemone. [00:22:00] ROV stops for sampling Radicipes sp. . [01:04:00] ROV stops for imagery and sampling of orange anemone (unsuccessful sampling). While the ROV descends on the seafloor, it provokes mud cloud/vision obscured for a while. [01:18:00] Rusty man made object on seafloor. [01:21:00] ROV stops and attempts to sample man-made object (aborted). [01:26:18] ROV stops for imagery of Anthomastus grandiflorus. END VIDEO [01:33:00]/05:00.
Progression | Start | Duration | Code | Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | [00:00:00] | 01:33:32 | M.AtUA.Mu | Atlantic upper abyssal mud |
Cnidaria
Pachycerianthus multiplicatus : 458 : R
Actiniaria sp. 20 : 605 : O
Anthomastus grandiflorus : 278 : R
Radicipes cf. gracilis : 1044 : O
Umbellula sp. : 581 : R
Echinodermata
Democrinus sp. : 1103 : R
Ophiomusa lymani : 551 : O
Ophiuroidea sp. 1 : 26 : R
Echinothuroidea sp. : 1094 : R
Peniagone sp. : 1167 : R
Benthothuria sp. : 1124 : R
Chordata
Coryphaenoides guentheri : 577 : R
Halosauridae sp. : 1113 : R
Notacanthiformes sp. 1 : 1012 : R
Number of species = 14
© Marine Institute, MERC Consultants, Bernard Picton 2022