NOOA Ocean Explorer / National Exploration and Research
Info
This deep-sea octopus was photographed in the Norfolk Canyon at a depth of 1,610 meters as part of NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research 2019 "Windows to the Deep 2019", Exploration of the Deep-sea Habits of the Southeastern United States.
At this water depth there is a pressure of 161 kilos per square centimeter, or 1610 tons per square meter!
The octopus was found above a soft, silty sedimentary bottom with some starfish stars, fish such as lizard eels and codfish (Antimora rostrata), sea urchins, anemones, and empty Bathymodiolus mussel shells.
Large bacterial mats were visible on the seafloor, followed by some outcrops of authigenic carbonate rocks and living Bathymodiolus deep-sea mussels.
Among the living mussels discovered were Gigantidas childressi (Gustafson, R. D. Turner, Lutz & Vrijenhoek, 1998), formerly Bathymodiolus childressi and Bathymodiolus heckerae (R. D. Turner, Gustafson, Lutz & Vrijenhoek, 1998).
The deep-sea octopus had a mantle length of about 11.3cm, the arms reached about 39.7cm, so that a total length of 51cm was calculated.
Synonyms:
Benthoctopus johnsoniana
Benthoctopus johnsonianus Allcock, Strugnell, Ruggiero & Collins, 2006
At this water depth there is a pressure of 161 kilos per square centimeter, or 1610 tons per square meter!
The octopus was found above a soft, silty sedimentary bottom with some starfish stars, fish such as lizard eels and codfish (Antimora rostrata), sea urchins, anemones, and empty Bathymodiolus mussel shells.
Large bacterial mats were visible on the seafloor, followed by some outcrops of authigenic carbonate rocks and living Bathymodiolus deep-sea mussels.
Among the living mussels discovered were Gigantidas childressi (Gustafson, R. D. Turner, Lutz & Vrijenhoek, 1998), formerly Bathymodiolus childressi and Bathymodiolus heckerae (R. D. Turner, Gustafson, Lutz & Vrijenhoek, 1998).
The deep-sea octopus had a mantle length of about 11.3cm, the arms reached about 39.7cm, so that a total length of 51cm was calculated.
Synonyms:
Benthoctopus johnsoniana
Benthoctopus johnsonianus Allcock, Strugnell, Ruggiero & Collins, 2006
