Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL), Hawaii, USA
Info
Stichopathes echinulata is a deep water whip gorgonian native to the Indian Ocean and the Indo-Pacific.
The EoL (Encyclopedia of Life) gives the maximum depth distribution as 966 meters, but a specification on the net for this cannot be found, but for the depth of 565 meters, see further links.
Under optimal conditions Stichopathes echinulata reaches a height of 100cm.
Deep water corals can, like their tropical cousins, form true coral forests, but often suffer from today's common fishing practices of trawling, i.e. the corals are forcibly torn from the substrate and end up as unwanted bycatch on board.
Due to its deep-water distribution, azooxanthellate coral relies on live or dead zooplankton (marine snow) to be caught.
Deep water corals grow much slower than corals from tropical warm waters.
Very special thanks for the first photo of Stichopathes echinulata to Hawaiii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL)
The EoL (Encyclopedia of Life) gives the maximum depth distribution as 966 meters, but a specification on the net for this cannot be found, but for the depth of 565 meters, see further links.
Under optimal conditions Stichopathes echinulata reaches a height of 100cm.
Deep water corals can, like their tropical cousins, form true coral forests, but often suffer from today's common fishing practices of trawling, i.e. the corals are forcibly torn from the substrate and end up as unwanted bycatch on board.
Due to its deep-water distribution, azooxanthellate coral relies on live or dead zooplankton (marine snow) to be caught.
Deep water corals grow much slower than corals from tropical warm waters.
Very special thanks for the first photo of Stichopathes echinulata to Hawaiii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL)
