Deep-Sea Habitats of the Marshall Islands

Today's Instagram Takeover comes from NA174 Science Communication Fellow Matthew Holden. A science teacher at Fayetteville High School in Arkansas, Matt started his career as a conservation biologist and ecologist. 
 

The Marshall Islands are renowned for their biodiverse shallow-water ecosystems, which host roughly 300 species of hard corals, 250 species of algae, 1,000 species of fish, 1,600 species of mollusks, and 700 species of crustaceans. However, these numbers likely underestimate the true marine diversity of the region, as many deep sea and offshore species remain undocumented. The surrounding offshore pelagic environments serve as important habitats and migration corridors for commercially important tuna species, as well as host some of the largest nesting populations of sea turtles. On the NA174 expedition, we're excited to explore some of the never-before-seen deeper ocean areas of the region and share that exploration with the world!