This coral, Siphonogorgia sp., from the family Nidaliidae, was videoed on Pratt Seamount. According to Dr. Amy Baco-Taylor, who was one of the science observers on the dive, there were multiple individuals of this species in a small area of the seamount, but this was the only time that this species was documented during this mission. This sighting of Siphonogorgia in the Gulf of Alaska might represent range extension for this type of coral and this may be a new species of Siphonogorgia.
“This is the second time in as many missions to the Gulf of Alaska that we’ve documented a snail fish, resting in a bamboo coral, but this is the fist time that we’ve actually collected one here.” Download largest version (mp4, 2.9 MB).
Related Links
