Deep Sea Coral Communities - Sentinels of a Changing Ocean
Photo taken in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Giant Pacific Octopus
Enteroctopus dofleini
Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: Shallow to 800 meters
- Reddish-brown color, but can vary with mood or background
- Size: Arm spread about 3 meters
- Weight: About 100 pounds
- Found on rocky, as well as soft bottom
Photo taken in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Brown Box Crab
Lopholithodes foraminatus
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: Intertidal to 550 meters
- Red-brown color
- Size: Carapace width approximately 18.5 centimeters
- Usually found in the deep sea, on the ocean's sea floor
Photo taken in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Bubblegum Coral
Paragorgia arborea pacifica
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 250 meters and deeper
- Red to pink in color
- Size: Ranges from 20 centimeters to larger than 3 meters
- Branching coral
Photo taken in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Red Tree Coral
Primnoa pacifica
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 250-1,000 meters
- Pink to orange in color
- Size: 20 centimeters to larger than 3 meters
Photo taken in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Black Skate
Raja trachura
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 213-2,550 meters
- Gray to black in color
- Size: Up to a maximum of 91 centimeters
- Found partially or completely buried in sand or silt
Photo taken in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Spider Hard Coral
Lophelia pertusa
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 65-1,000 meters
- Light pinkish to white in color
- Colonial organism
- Aggregate-forming deep-sea coral
Photo taken in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Basket Star
Gorgonocephalus eucnemis
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 10-2,000 meters
- Dark brown to pinkish color
- Size: Central disk is up to 14 centimeters
- Found on rocky bottoms
Photo taken in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Scarlet King Crab
Lithodes cousei
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: Intertidal to 183 meters
- Reddish in color
- Weight: Ranges from 8-20 pounds
Photo taken in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Green Ball Sponge
Latrunculia sp.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 550-850 meters
- Green to brown in color
- Size: 2-7 centimeters
- Ball shaped with visible craters
- Newly discovered in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
Photo taken in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Mushroom Soft Coral
Anthomastus sp.
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 500-1,000 meters
- Red to pink in color
- Size: 5-15 centimeters
- Ball shaped on top with a stalk to hold to substrate
- Protrusions when tentacles extended
Photo taken in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Feather Star or Crinoids
Florometra serratissima
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 10-1,250 meters
- Multiple colors (primarily yellow/brown)
- Size: Up to 1 meter, but most are much smaller
- Can be found attached to rocks for filter feeding or free swimming
Photo taken in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
California Hydrocoral
Stylaster californicus
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 4-110 meters
- Primarily pink/purple
- Size: Maximum 30 centimeters in height and 60 centimeters in width
- Adheres to rocky substrate and thrives in high current areas
Photo taken in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Rosy Rockfish in Sponge
Sebastes rosaceus
Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 30-120 meters
- Orange to pink in color with purple edges around white spots
- Size: 10-25 centimeters
Photo taken in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
White Hydrocoral
Stylaster sp.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 250-800 meters
- White in color
- Size: 15-25 centimeters
Photo taken in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Black Coral
Antipathes dendrochristos
Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 100-400 meters
- Multiple color morphs with a black skeleton
- Broad bushy coral that can reach heights of 250 centimeters
Photo taken in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA
Cylindrical Sponge
Porifera sp.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
- Depth: 800-1,000 meters
- White, yellow or brown in color
- Size: Ranges from very small to large enough for a person to stand inside
- Cylindrical shaped
Photo taken in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA/MBARI
Fly Trap Anemone
Hormathidae family
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary - Davidson Seamount
- Depth: Up to 1,900 meters
- Size: 30 centimeters across
- Live on seamounts with strong currents and deep sea ridges
- Releases bioluminescent slime
Photo taken in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA/MBARI
Blob Sculpin
Psychrolutes phrictus
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary - Davidson Seamount
- Depth: 500-2,800 meters
- Size: Grows to 60 centimeters
- Shaped like large flabby tadpoles
- Eats crabs and sea pens