Cold-water coral habitat on a carbonate mound in Porcupine Seabight

Description:

Lophelia and Madrepora thickets with some gorgonians (Acanthogorgia sp.). In between the corals a hexactinellid sponge (Aphrocallistes sp.) is very frequent. Common fish in Belgica mound province (Neocyttus helgae) together with a spider crab (Paromola cuvieri). This picture is collected with the ROV Victor 6000 from Ifremer on the R/V Polarstern during the Alfred-Wegener Institute coordinated cruise ARK XIX/3a in June 2003. The ROV imagery are courtesy and copyright of IFREMER.