Plant Pete - Nature not Nurture

Seamounts are biodiversity hotspots. Their rocky slopes provide the hard surfaces that corals and sponges need to grow, while ocean currents deliver a steady supply of plankton and nutrient-rich marine snow. Together, these conditions create thriving communities for deep-sea life.

This siphonophore, Erenna richardi, can be identified by the massive clusters of tentilla (the side branches of the tentacle) at the end of the tail (siphosome). In Monterey Bay, this species has been observed at average depths of about 1,100 meters (3,600 feet). These siphonophores are armed with a battery of powerful stinging tentacles, and researchers have seen them ensnaring fish just above the seafloor.⁠ ⁠ Historically, gelatinous animals have been challenging to study. Their delicate nature makes them difficult to collect, especially from the ocean’s depths. By using deep-diving robots—remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs—MBARI and our collaborators are revealing the dazzling diversity of delicate drifters that lies beneath the surface.