Bubblegum Coral, Basket Stars, and Other Wild Diversity Near PMNM | Nautilus Live

Over 1,200 meters deep on an unnamed ridge within the Central Pacificʻs Liliʻuokalani Ridge, our Corps of Exploration was delighted to encounter stunning biodiversity at a place they didnʻt expect to find it — the depths of the oxygen minimum zone. This ridge revealed a continuous seafloor community of yellow Plexaurid and purple Stolonofiran corals, Rossela sponges, basket stars, brittlestars, and many more associated invertebrates. Bright colors astounded our control van as they examined octocorals and views of a chimera, halosaur, hermit crabs, and even some unidentified sponge species. Enjoy a glimpse into one of the richest environments of our 2022 season so far including a massive bubblegum coral (Paragorgia sp.) community complete with associates like sea urchins, basket stars, and fish. This coral was named for its bulbous branch tips that resemble our favorite childhood candy. Like other deep-sea corals, bubblegum corals are filter feeders that capture prey, such as plankton, d