Marine Institute
SeaRover Dive Video

D461 Transect 14 Xenophyophores, rich mixed corals on escarpment, healthy diverse Solenosmilia reef. Features of Interest: canyon, escarpments Water Depth: 1800-1427 m

Highlights: Solenosmilia reef Sea fan & Solenosmilia Hexactinellid sponge Polymastiid sponge on Solenosmilia Close-up of sea fan

The substrate of the canyon floor (1800 m) is soft sediment with pebbles. Xenophyophores are common here with the occasional sea pen. Towards the side of the canyon the sediment is rippled, sand waves occur at the foot of the canyon wall. A terraced wall begins at 1750 m and contains dense areas of Solenosmilia variabilis; midway up this terrace very large bamboo corals occur. Several species of sea pens are noted throughout the sediment, pebbles and rocks of the terraces. The black coral cf. Parantipathes sp. is frequent on the cliffs and terraces. Brisingids and anemones are present among the stone coral Madrepora oculata; brisingids also occur in clusters on rocks. On a 500 m hard incline, sponges are frequent as are the black coral Stichopathes sp., anemones and the occasional stalked crinoid. Common fish species included grenadier and oreos. Coral species, including the stony corals M. oculata and S. variabilis and black corals are abundant.

START DIVE 05:25 [1] Xenophyophres (Syringammina fragilissima) on mixed gravel/mud sediment. Carbonate protrusion with lamellate sponge (not large enough area to be biotope). 00:27 [2] Area of mixed corals dominated by Chrysogorgiidae sp. with mixed sediment including cobbles and boulders. 00:29 [3] pebbles/gravel and xenophyophores, sometimes sparse. 00:35 Small area with lamellate sponges on cobbles. (not large enough for biotope change) HD VIDEO [00:00:00]/05:46 continued xenophyophores on gravel and pebbles. Pebbles become sparser. [00:02:00] [4] sand sometimes with shell hash/gravel component, with sparse sea pens (species hard to discern as they are small). [00:03:00] sand becomes rippled [00:07:00] sand waves, continued pens. [00:10:00] no more sand waves. [00:15:00] [5] Vertical /sloping rock with light mud veneer and some cobbles boulders, uncoiled Stichopathes sp. (OTU560) dominates, mixed corals/sponges. [00:17:00] [6] Solenosmilia rubble on slope, 100% dead, although rubble associated globose sponges (OTU1051) are plentiful. [00:18:00] [7] vertical rock and shelf with attached mixed corals and living Solenosmilia colonies. ROV traverses left along the crest of the ledge until reaching [00:20:00] cobble/boulder slope then continues uphill. Mosaic of mixed coral assemblages dominated by either Stichopathes sp. (slope/boulders) or discrete Solenosmilia variabilis colonies (especially overhangs). [00:25:00] traverse right along a ledge, [00:30:00] stop for imagery (Keratoisis sp.). [00:34:00] [8] continue forward overledge up slope of S. variabilis reef, ~10% living with associated fauna up to [00:36:00] [9] another series of alternating ledges and cobble/boulder slopes with discrete S. variabilis colonies / Stichopathes sp . dominated mixed corals. [00:42:00]-[00:43:00] stop for imagery (cf Farreidae sp) [00:44:00]-[00:46:00] stop for imagery (Parantipathes sp.). [00:51:00] [10] Xenophyophores on pebbles/mud, some cobbles. [00:54:00] [11] Sparse mixed corals on (denser) pebbles/mud with cobbles and boulders. [00:55:00] [12] again less dense with xenophyophores, [00:58:00] [13] cobbles boulders/ buried ledges/vertical/sloping rock with mixed corals, Stichopathes/Solenosmilia dominated mosaic again. [01:04:00] [14] more sloping Solenosmilia reef, again ~10% living with associated fauna. Some islands of Stichopathes on sloping rock. [01:06:00] [15] mosaic of mixed coral Stichopathes dominated cobbles/boulder areas, and xenophyophore fields on pebbles/mud. [01:09:00]-[01:11:00] stopped for imagery (Keratoisis sp). [01:11:00] [16] mud/sand with scattered pebbles hosting xenophyophores, Pennatula aculeata and Ophiomusa lymani. [01:14:00] [17] richer Solenosmilia reef (10-25% living), mixed corals also associated, globose sponge co- dominates (OTU1051). [01:19:00] [18] sometimes sparse Stichopathes dominated mixed corals on sloping rock with mud/gravel/pebble veneer, cobbles/boulders, vertical rock, and broken sloping rock/carbonate, with some white boulders encountered . [01:24:00] [19] increasing coral rubble on boulder/broken rock slope, with discrete living Solenosmilia colonies. [01:27:00] [20] continues mixed corals on rock mosaicked with Solenosmilia reef 25-50%. [01:40:00] [21] Climb over ridge onto large rich Solenosmilia reef 25-50% living, with many framework associated corals and sponges continuing up a gentle slope until [02:04:00] [22] mud/pebbles and xenophyophores. ROV stops, then END VIDEO [02:05:00]/07:51.

Progression Start Duration Code Name
1[00:00:00]00:27:00M.AtLB.Mx.XenCom.SyrFraSyringammina fragilissima field on Atlantic lower bathyal mixed sediment
3[00:00:00]00:02:50M.AtLB.Mx.XenCom.SyrFraSyringammina fragilissima field on Atlantic lower bathyal mixed sediment
4[00:02:52]00:12:42M.AtMB.Mu.SpnMegSea pens and burrowing megafauna on Atlantic mid bathyal mud
5[00:15:35]00:01:57M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
6[00:17:33]00:00:50M.AtLB.Bi.CorReeAtlantic lower bathyal cold water coral reef (biogenic structure)
7[00:18:24]00:16:08M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
2[00:27:01]00:01:59M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
3[00:29:01]00:05:59M.AtLB.Mx.XenCom.SyrFraSyringammina fragilissima field on Atlantic lower bathyal mixed sediment
8[00:34:33]00:02:05M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee.SolVarAtlantic lower bathyal live Solenosmilia variabilis reef (biogenic structure)
9[00:36:39]00:15:00M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
10[00:51:40]00:02:23M.AtLB.Mx.XenCom.SyrFraSyringammina fragilissima field on Atlantic lower bathyal mixed sediment
11[00:54:04]00:01:19M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
12[00:55:24]00:03:26M.AtLB.Mx.XenCom.SyrFraSyringammina fragilissima field on Atlantic lower bathyal mixed sediment
13[00:58:51]00:05:27M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
14[01:04:19]00:02:13M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee.SolVarAtlantic lower bathyal live Solenosmilia variabilis reef (biogenic structure)
15[01:06:33]00:05:19M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
16[01:11:53]00:02:59M.AtLB.Mx.XenCom.SyrFraSyringammina fragilissima field on Atlantic lower bathyal mixed sediment
17[01:14:53]00:04:45M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee.SolVarAtlantic lower bathyal live Solenosmilia variabilis reef (biogenic structure)
18[01:19:40]00:04:24M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
18[01:21:11]00:00:48M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
19[01:24:05]00:03:52M.AtLB.Ro.MixCorMixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment
20[01:27:58]00:12:04M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee.SolVarAtlantic lower bathyal live Solenosmilia variabilis reef (biogenic structure)
21[01:40:03]00:23:58M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee.SolVarAtlantic lower bathyal live Solenosmilia variabilis reef (biogenic structure)
22[02:04:02]00:01:18M.AtLB.Mx.XenCom.SyrFraSyringammina fragilissima field on Atlantic lower bathyal mixed sediment

Foraminifera
Syringammina fragilissima : 261 : F
Porifera
Asconema sp. : 1038 : O
cf. Farreidae : 1142 : O
cf. Polymastia boletiformis : 1030 : O
Geodia cf. atlantica (Porifera massive lobose sp. 6) : 83 : O
Porifera cylindrical sp. 2 : 1075 : R
Porifera encrusting globose (pale) : 75 : O
Porifera encrusting sp. 1 (white) : 1 : R
Porifera encrusting sp. 10 (yellow) : 30 : R
Porifera lamellate lobose (fleshy) : 1132 : R
Porifera lamellate sp. 10 : 1010 : O
Porifera lamellate sp. 10 (Yellow Solenosmilia assoc.) : 623 : O
Porifera lamellate sp. 9 : 606 : O
Porifera massive globose sp. 15 (Solenosmilia rubble) : 1051 : F
Porifera massive lobose sp. 21 (Hertwigia sp. ?) : 611 : O
Blue Porifera encrusting : 800 : R
Cnidaria
Cerianthidae sp. 1 : 2 : R
Actiniaria sp. 1 : 4 : R
Actiniaria sp. 20 : 605 : R
Actinernus michaelsarsi : 554 : O
Actinoscyphiidae sp. 1 (pink) : 1047 : O
Actinostolidae sp. 1 : 132 : F
Adamsia sp. : 1066 : R
Phelliactis sp. 1 : 255 : R
Liponema sp. : 1055 : R
Antipatharia sp. 4 cf. Stauropathes : 592 : R
Stichopathes sp. : 560 : C
Bathypathes sp. (brown) : 284 : O
Dendrobathypathes ( prev. Stauropathes sp. 1) : 1015 : O
Parantipathes sp. : 1042 : F

Stauropathes arctica : 547 : O
Corallimorphidae sp. 2 : 43 : R
Caryophyllia sp. 2 : 6 : R
Solenosmilia variabilis : 700 : C
Flabellum sp. : 1056 : R
Zoanthidea sp. : 1149 : R
Acanthogorgia cf. armata : 608 : R
Anthomastus grandiflorus : 278 : R
Anthothela grandiflora : 311 : R
Chrysogorgidae sp. 1 : 1008 : O
Eknomisis sp. : 649 : O
Keratoisis sp. 2 : 578 : O
Lepidisis sp. : 557 : O
Isididae sp. (fine branching) : 1064 : O
Paramuricea sp. : 1050 : O
Gorgonacea sp. (pink, Solenosmilia assoc.) (Jasonisis) : 1070 : O
Pennatulacea (indet.) : 1114 : O
Anthoptilum sp. : 1107 : R
Pennatula aculeata : 1046 : O
Pennatula cf. inflata : 1083 : R
Hydrozoa (flat branched) : 56 : R
Scyphozoa (indet.) : 1134 : R
Annelida
Aphroditidae sp. 1 : 146 : R
Serpulidae sp. 1 : 106 : R
Arthropoda
Chirostylidae sp. 2 (indet.) : 1054 : R
Paguridae sp. : 205 : R
Cirripedia sp. 1 : 82 : R
Mollusca
Colus sp. : 113 : R
Octopoda (indet.) : 659 : O
Bryozoa

Reteporella sp. : 204 : F
Echinodermata
Bathycrinidae sp. 2 cf. Porphyrocrinus thalassae : 1045 : R
Pentametrocrinus atlanticus : 436 : O
Koehlermetra porrecta : 315 : O
Anachalypsicrinus nefertiti : 1031 : O
Crinoidea sp. 1 : 131 : F
Asteronyx loveni : 471 : R
Ophiomusa lymani : 551 : O
Ophiuroidea (indet.) : 1076 : F
Novodinia sp. : 1087 : O
Brisingidae sp. : 274 : O
Stichastrella rosea : 198 : R
Porania sp. : 263 : O
Solaster endeca : 573 : O
Echinus sp. : 445 : R
Echinus sp. (deep, white/pink) : 1052 : R
cf. Psolus sp. : 1049 : R
Chordata
Ascidiacea sp. 2 : 20 : O
Squaliformes sp. : 569 : O
Synaphobranchus kaupii : 440 : O
Ipnopidae sp. : 1078 : R
Brosme brosme : 258 : R
Coryphaenoides guentheri : 577 : O
Coryphaenoides rupestris : 566 : O
Lepidion eques : 249 : O
Polyacanthonotus rissoanus : 552 : O
Notacanthidae sp. 1 : 1009 : R
Cataetyx laticeps : 1111 : R
Neocyttus helgae : 563 : O

Number of species = 88

© Marine Institute, MERC Consultants, Bernard Picton 2022