A survey of deep-water coral and sponge habitats along the West Coast of the US using a remotely operated vehicle : NOAA Fisheries Survey Vessel (FSV) Bell M. Shimada, November 1 - 5, 2010

"Five ROV transect surveys were conducted between San Diego, CA and Seattle, WA. The total submerged time of 9 hours 45 minutes. The total seafloor distance surveyed was ~5.1 kilometers (km). The depth range of observations was from 110-400 meters (m) (Table 1). Many deep-sea octocorals, cup corals, and sponges were observed throughout the survey. The ROV's single function manipulator was used to collect four deep-sea coral specimens for molecular and morphological taxonomy plus three serendipitous samples of invertebrates associated with those corals. Samples consisted of: (1) Dendrophyllia sp., (2) brittle stars, (2) Euplexaura markii, (~20) amphipods associated with E. markii, and (1) Swiftia pacifica (see Appendix 1)"--Survey summary. 2011 NOS (National Ocean Service) NCCOS (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science) CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System) Library Public Domain 1936