Education Theme: Mesophotic Corals

Example of corals and algae found on Pulley Ridge: The plate corals Leptoseris cucullata (foreground) and Agaricia fragilis; the finger coral Madracis sp.; the leafy green algae Anadyomene menziesii.

Close up of a giant barrel sponge, Xestospongia muta, which provides habitat for many creatures including a squat lobster (right) and a brittle star (left).

The liver sponge, Plakortis sp., produces a series of important chemical compounds that deter predators and have biomedical antimicrobial activity.

A typical deep sponge community. This image illustrates zonation below 60.9 meters over 60 percent sponge cover and significant sponge biomass.