Spotted seahorse (Hippocamopus kuda) among branching lace coral (Stylaster spp.) and sea fan (Melithaea spp.)

Photo by David Fleetham

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Stylaster Flabbelliformis

Subergorgia Suberosa

some more oc refs!

RARIPHOTIC: Meet what lies beyond middle light coral reefs. 

Researchers have realized out a new zone, found next to corals reefs in some areas worldwide. Beneath coral reefs, lies a middle light-zone of reefs, often called mesophitic, which usually starts at depths of about 40 m, but beyond this zone, there is a unexplored area, deeper and darker, this zones is called rariphotic, or scarce light zone. A zone with unique biodiversity. 

This newly recognized rariphotic zone ranges from 130 m to at least 310 m, too deep for professional SCUBA, for this reason, it is necessary to use submersibles and ROVs to explore these regions. Coral fauna consists entirely of non-zooxanthelate corals, (wich are no colorful and no depend on sunlight to survive as most corals do), non reef-forming hard corals, along with gorgonians. These ecosystems harbors a unique reef-fish fauna, dominated by species that are related to shallow-water families rather than deep-sea fishes.  

- The lace coral Stylaster, gorgonian Nicella, and Yellow-spotted Golden Bass  Liopropoma olneyi , part of the rariphotic fauna of Curaçao, depth 112–229 m). Photo by L. Tornabene

Researchers state rariphotic as part of a depth continuum of discrete faunal zones of tropical reef fishes, and perhaps of reef ecosystems in general, all of which warrant further study in light of global declines of shallow reefs. 

Rariphotic assemblages have been identified off Hawaii, the Marshall Islands and around Easter Island in the Pacific, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico and Curaçao.  

Also, researchers take a step, naming all three well-defined reef zones: the newly recognized and named rariphotic, the mesophotic, and the newly named altiphotic or high light, where is shallow water reefs are placed. It is crazy, but altiphotic didn’t have a name before.

Photo:  unnamed species of sand perch. Photo by Luiz Rocha.

Reference (Open Access): Baldwin, et al., 2018. Below the Mesophotic. Scientific Reports.

(stylaster (gummiez))

stylaster coral

Coral Canyons Wall Dive - Identification Guide

I went through and marked off everything I included in my Coral Canyons plank!   All the fish, corals, sponges, and invertebrates depicted are as accurate as my field guide, memory, and penmanship allowed for. Click through to see the whole list of 50 creatures that make up this plank (not counting our lucky diver)

Fish:  Barracuda ( Sphyraena barracuda ) Black Durgon ( Melichthys niger ) Cubera Snapper ( Lutjanus cyanopterus ) Fairy Basslet ( Gramma loreto )  French Grunts ( Haemulon flavolineatum ) Green Moray ( Gymnothorax funebris ) Grey Angelfish ( Pomacanthus arcuatus ) Hogfish ( Lachnolaimus maximus ) Honeycomb Cowfish ( Acanthostracion polygonius ) Queen Angel ( Holacanthus ciliaris ) Roughtail Stingray ( Dasyatis centroura ) Sergeant Major Fish ( Abudefduf saxatilis ) Spotfin Butterflyfish ( Chaetodon ocellatus ) Stoplight Parrotfish initial phase ( Sparisoma viride ) Reef Squirrelfish  ( Sargocentron coruscum ) Trumpetfish ( Aulostomus maculatus ) Whitetip Reef Shark ( Triaenodon obesus )

Invertebrates:  Banded Coral Shrimp ( Stenopus hispidus ) Bluebell Tunicates ( Clavelina moluccensis ) Christmas Tree Worms ( Spirobranchus giganteus ) Comet Star ( Linckia guildingi ) Common Octopus ( Octopus vulgaris ) Coral Crab ( Carpilius corallinus ) Cushion Sea Star ( Oreaster reticulatus ) Fancy (Furry) Sea Cucumber ( Astichopus multifidus ) Flamingo Tongue ( Cyphoma gibbosum ) Longspined Urchin ( Diadema setosum ) Pencil Urchin ( Heterocentrotus mamillatus ) Reef Squid ( Sepioteuthis sepioidea ) Spiney Lobster ( Panulirus argus ) West Indian Sea Egg ( Tripneustes ventricosus )

Corals and Sponges:  Barrel Sponge ( Xestospongia muta ) Blue Spiny Flower Coral ( Mussa angulosa ) Blushing Star Coral ( Stephanocoenia intersepts ) Branching Fire Coral ( Millepora alcicornis ) Branching Vase Sponges ( Callyspongia vaginalis ) Common Purple Seafans ( Gorgonia ventalina ) Elkhorn Coral ( Acropora palmata ) Various Encrusting Sponges Fire Coral ( Millepora ) Fused Staghorn Coral ( Acropora prolifera ) Lace Coral ( Stylaster roseus ) Lavendar Rope Sponge (  Niphates erecta ) Lettuce Coral ( Agaricia tenuifolia ) Long Sea Whips ( Ellisella elongata ) Oscarella ( Oscarella lobularis ) Pillar Coral ( Dendrogyra cylindricus ) Ridged Cactus Coral ( Mycetophyllia lamarckiana ) Symmetrical Brain Coral ( Diploria strigosa ) Yellow Tube Sponge ( Aplysina insularis )

4X4 LARGE ORANGE LACE STYLASTER by Extremecorals

Elena didnt make sence 2011... Im not gonna start talkng to her mom... hair stylast rhat says what 11 years

Stylaster looks so pretty OwO

t-thank you...

hims just slug man

Planet Lingcod from ADF&G on Vimeo.

An underwater trip to the Edgecumbe Pinnacles is the closest thing to visiting another world. This two-minute video was made by biologists in a small submarine in 55 meters of water off the coast of Southeast Alaska. Lots of lingcod and sea anemones - giant plumose anemones (Metridium farcimen) - a quillback rockfish (Sebastes maliger), ‘beautiful hydrocoral’ (Stylaster venusta), and at least eight species of sea stars. Copyright ADF&G