D534 Transect RB11 Rich epifauna on diverse sediments with Solenosmilia reefs and mixed sponges. Priority 1. Features: Ridge, Escarpment, Mound, SAC Water depth: -1500 m. TL: 4.3 km. SOL: 14° 29.454' W 55° 58.363' N
Highlights: Orange. roughy Antipatharian coral - Bathypathes Starfish on Solenosmilia reef Acesta excavata file shell & Solenosmilia
Depression with Solenosmilia variabilis reef and rubble (Acesta excavata shells) with brittle stars, encrusting sponges, cup corals and sponges. Fauna (Solenosmilia and A. excavata) are more abundant up slope. Brisingiids, anemones, crinoids, echinoid urchins, grenadiers, eels and serpulid tubes Orange roughy hide among the coral. On top of the cliff there is a reef and coral garden with living Solenosmilia, Stichopathes sp., Parantipathes sp. and mature gorgonians such as Eknomisis sp. and Paramuricea sp. Oreo fish and Galeus melastomus are seen on top of the cliff among the reef.
START VIDEO A [00:00:00]/10:14 [1] Epifaunally rich gently upsloping coral garden with dense Ophiuroidea, bivalve shells of possible Acesta excavata, and sparse deep sea sponge aggregations. In front of the ROV, two individual of Hoplostethus atlanticus are swimming, which is an IUCN endangered species. [00:11:00] [2] Geogenic and biogenic reefs co-dominate on this part of the transect. [00:38:00] the ROV reached the summit and it dives through the water column for ~10 minutes before heading towards the vertical wall. The ROV dives along the continental cliff. [00:46:00] [4] mosaic substrata (coral reef, mud, gravel and cobbles). Coral reefs host a variety of sponge and coral aggregations. Neocyttus helgae often encountered. [00:48:00] [5] Here coarse sediments with scattered pebble/cobble, which host mixed coral gardens. [01:09:00] [6] Biogenic Solenosmilia reefs made of gravel and rubble on slope. [01:46:00] less dense epifauna in this part of the transect. Three encounters of leafscale gulper sharks, which is an IUCN endangered species. Here muddy sediments with sparse Solenosmilia variabilis reef framework. [01:29:00] [7] Coral reefs (mainly coral framework) on slope [01:47:00] Molva dypterygia sighting. VIDEO A ENDS AT 12:04. VIDEO B STARTS AT [01:50:00]/12:14. [8] Again coral reef framework on a gentle down slope with several species of porifera vase and lobose/globose. [02:00:48] - [02:02:00] The ROV stops for imagery on S. variabilis reef framework with poss. Mycale lingua aggregations as well as a few individuals of Echinoidea and scleractinians. [02:03:00] the ROV moves forward. [02:08:23], [02:09:15] Leafscale gulper shark. [02:06:00] Synaphobranchus kaupii eel. [02:08:00] The ROV changes direction of ~45° moving uphill. [9] Now coral reef is less abundant, muddy/coral gravel/cobbles/boulders predominate. Large individuals of Leiopathes species. [02:09:00] slope becomes steep with frequent sightings of leafscale gulper sharks (possibly the same individual fast swimming in front of the ROV). [02:32:00] [10] Here flat substrata with bedrock becoming more visible. Hosting cobbles and coral framework (100% dead) with Leiopathes and sponge aggregations. [02:21:00] Here The ROV shows mud and gravel with sparse sponge aggregations. [02:34:00] again the ROV climbs a steep hill, while substrata changes into coral reef framework (100% dead) and cobbles which host sparse sponge aggregations and Leiopathes. [02:35:00] – [02:38:00] the ROV hovers high from the ground and descends slowly soon after for imagery of black coral species (possible Eknomisis sp.). Mud obscures camera for a few seconds. [02:38:00] the ROV hits the ground and stops for a few seconds while mud obscures the camera. ROV moves soon after. [02:45:00] again substrata changes into mud and coral gravel with sparse coral reefs (Solenosmilia) and sponge aggregations. [02:47:00] coral reef framework is back again with interspersed coral gravel and boulders. [02:49:00] the ROV climbs a steep hill and [02:50:00] changes directions and goes downhill. [02:54:00] ROV changes direction again, now it goes ~45° uphill. [02:57:00] trawl marks on the ground. [03:00:42] [11] Dense coral reefs. [03:10:00] the ROV reaches the summit and hover high on the reef. [03:11:00] the ROV descends on the reef. [03:21:30] the ROV hovers on the reef. Blue water for a few minutes until END VIDEO B 13:38.
Progression | Start | Duration | Code | Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | [00:00:00] | 00:11:00 | M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee | Atlantic lower bathyal cold water coral reef (biogenic structure) |
2 | [00:11:00] | 00:27:00 | M.AtLB.Ro.MixCor | Mixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment |
3 | [00:38:00] | 00:08:00 | M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee | Atlantic lower bathyal cold water coral reef (biogenic structure) |
4 | [00:46:00] | 00:02:00 | M.AtLB.Ro.MixCor | Mixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment |
5 | [00:48:00] | 00:21:00 | M.AtLB.Ro.MixCor | Mixed cold water coral community on Atlantic lower bathyal coarse sediment |
6 | [01:09:00] | 00:20:00 | M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee | Atlantic lower bathyal cold water coral reef (biogenic structure) |
7 | [01:29:00] | 00:21:00 | M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee.SolFra | Mixed coral assemblage on Atlantic lower bathyal Solenosmilia reef framework (biogenic structure) |
8 | [01:50:00] | 00:09:00 | M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee | Atlantic lower bathyal cold water coral reef (biogenic structure) |
9 | [01:59:00] | 00:25:00 | M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee | Atlantic lower bathyal cold water coral reef (biogenic structure) |
10 | [02:24:00] | 00:23:00 | M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee | Atlantic lower bathyal cold water coral reef (biogenic structure) |
11 | [02:47:00] | 00:35:00 | M.AtLB.Bi.CorRee | Atlantic lower bathyal cold water coral reef (biogenic structure) |
Porifera
Aphrocallistes beatrix : 264 : R
cf. Farreidae : 1142 : R
cf. Phakellia ventilabrum : 202 : R
Mycale lingua : 171 : R
cf. Geodia baretti (Porifera massive globose sp. 11) : 601 : R
Porifera cup 2 : 535 : R
Porifera cylindrical sp. 2 : 1075 : R
Porifera encrusting sp. 1 (white) : 1 : R
Porifera encrusting sp. 15 (yellow) : 58 : R
Porifera globose (muddy) : 1128 : R
Porifera lamellate lobose : 81 : R
Porifera massive globose sp. 6 : 137 : R
Porifera massive globose sp. 9 : 380 : R
Porifera massive lobose sp. 22 (yellow cf. Hertwigia sp. ) : 616 : R
Porifera massive lobose sp. 32 : 1090 : R
Blue Porifera encrusting : 800 : O
Porifera vase (cf. Aphrocallistes) : 1162 : R
Cnidaria
Cerianthidae sp. 1 : 2 : R
Actiniaria sp. 1 : 4 : R
Actinernus michaelsarsi : 554 : R
Actinoscyphiidae sp. 1 (pink) : 1047 : R
Actinoscyphiidae sp. 1 (pink) : 1047 : R
Actinostolidae sp. 1 : 132 : R
Stichopathes sp. : 560 : R
Leiopathes sp. : 305 : R
Bathypathes sp. (brown) : 284 : R
Parantipathes sp. : 1042 : R
Stauropathes arctica : 547 : R
Caryophyllia sp. 2 : 6 : R
Desmophyllum cf. dianthus : 335 : R
Lophelia pertusa : 250 : F
Zoanthidea sp. : 1149 : R
Zoanthidae sp. 2 : 586 : R
Anthomastus grandiflorus : 278 : R
Anthothela grandiflora : 311 : R
Acanella arbuscula (firtree) : 991 : R
Paragorgia (twiggy) (poss. Swiftia) : 1065 : R
Paramuricea sp. : 1050 : R
Plexauridae sp. (rigid fan) : 1165 : R
Gorgonacea sp. (pink, Solenosmilia assoc.) (Jasonisis) : 1070 : R
Pennatula aculeata : 1046 : R
Hydrozoa (flat branched) : 56 : R
Annelida
Serpulidae sp. 1 : 106 : O
Arthropoda
Caridea (indet.) : 1077 : R
Munidopsis sp. : 1126 : R
Colossendeis sp. 1 : 1059 : R
Cirripedia sp. 1 : 82 : R
Mollusca
Colus sp. : 113 : R
Graneledone verrucosa : 973 : R
Echinodermata
Pentametrocrinus atlanticus : 436 : R
Crinoidea sp. 1 : 131 : R
Crinoidea sp. 1 : 131 : R
Euryalida sp. : 1307 : R
Ophiomusa lymani : 551 : R
Ophiuroidea sp. 10 : 640 : R
Ophiuroidea sp. 11 (red disc) : 1036 : O
Brisingidae sp. : 274 : R
Solasteridae sp. : 9978 : R
Pterasteridae sp. : 299 : R
Echinidae sp. (pink) : 194 : O
Cidaris cidaris : 211 : R
cf. Psolus sp. : 1049 : R
Psychropotes depressa : 1169 : R
Chordata
Ascidiacea sp. 2 : 20 : O
Centrophorus squamosus : 1048 : R
Synaphobranchus kaupii : 440 : O
Hoplostethus atlantica : 651 : R
Molva dypterygia : 245 : R
Coryphaenoides rupestris : 566 : R
Macrouridae sp. (cf. Coelorhynchus) : 1172 : R
Lepidion eques : 249 : R
Polyacanthonotus rissoanus : 552 : R
Neocyttus helgae : 563 : R
Actinopterygii sp. 3 : 930 : R
Number of species = 74
© Marine Institute, MERC Consultants, Bernard Picton 2022