D688 Transect 3 Homogenous biotope of muddy moderate slope with sparse echinoids and holothurians. P1. Water depth: 1492–1552m. Feature: Ledge
Highlights: Epizoanthus pagurophilus White sea cucumber Unknown pressure, bullets? Aggregation of juvenile sea cucumbers Anemone
Of Note: Unusual areas of disturbed sediment.
Seafloor is a gentle slope of soft sediment and burrows. Fauna include starfish, a variety of anemones (Phelliactis sp. & cerianthids) and holothurians, including Mesothuria sp. Dense aggregations of larvae / amphipods observed on occasion. Smooth furrows evident in sediment, origin unknown. Observed munitions shell casings.
START VIDEO [00:00:00]/04:19. The entire dive is set on homogenous biotope of muddy moderate slope with sparse echinoids and holothurians. [1] Muddy slope with scarce epifauna. [00:01:00] ROV stops for sampling two pushcores. [01:11:00] Unknown pressure on muddy slope, possibly bullets. [01:11:00] – [01:21:00] ROV stops for imagery and sampling of unidentified pressure. [01:21:00] [2] Biotopes changes muddy moderate slope with scarce epifauna and scattered Elpidiidae sp. aggregations. [01:24:00] ROV stops for imagery of small sea cucumbers aggregations (<1cm). [01:34:00] Here aggregations of sea cucumbers recorded. [01:35:00] [3] Muddy slope with scarce epifauna. [01:45:00] now the ROV films a big burrow of unknown origins (it has a rectangular shape, > 1 m long and < 1 m in width). END VIDEO [01:46:00]/05:43.
Progression | Start | Duration | Code | Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | [00:00:00] | 01:21:56 | M.AtLB.Mu | Atlantic lower bathyal mud |
3 | [01:35:34] | 00:10:46 | M.AtLB.Mu | Atlantic lower bathyal mud |
Cnidaria
Cerianthidae sp. 1 : 2 : R
Actiniaria sp. 18 : 582 : R
Actiniaria sp. 20 : 605 : R
Actinostolidae sp. 1 : 132 : R
Phelliactis sp. 1 : 255 : R
Caryophyllia sp. 5 (bullseye) : 584 : R
Flabellum sp. : 1056 : R
Epizoanthus sp. 1 (Paguridae associated) : 317 : R
Metallogorgia/Iridogorgia or Cirripathes : 994 : R
Isididae sp. (fine branching) : 1064 : R
Umbellula sp. : 581 : R
Annelida
Aphroditidae sp. 1 : 146 : R
Arthropoda
Paguridae sp. : 205 : R
Caridea (indet.) : 1077 : R
Echinodermata
Ophiuroidea sp. 1 : 26 : R
Zoroaster fulgens : 988 : R
Pseudarchaster sp. 1 : 433 : R
Porania sp. : 263 : R
Elpidiidae sp. : 1116 : R
cf. Benthogone sp. (white) : 574 : R
Mesothuria intestinalis : 536 : R
Mesothuria sp. : 1206 : R
© Marine Institute, MERC Consultants, Bernard Picton 2022