Using samples collected in the deep sea by ROVs like Hercules, geologists will grind rock crusts into sand for many different analyses. Using microscopes, genome sequencing, and chemical analyses, they can learn the story of the microbial characters of the seafloor.

Back in 2021, while exploring along the ridge of Ha’aheo Seamount in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the team found this ‘coral canyon;’ a large crevasse between basalt slabs covered in diverse coral species angled advantageously toward the current.

This spiky friend Lithodes longispina is a species of king crab belonging to the family Lithodidae. Just like its species name implies, this creature has long spines on its carapace, earning it the nickname “porcupine crab.” Unlike other crabs, king crabs are more closely related to hermit crabs. Some of their unique adaptations include their abdomens being twisted to one side, their legs hinging backward, and their ability to walk forward instead of sideways like most other crab species. Deep sea crabs are opportunistic predators and scavengers as food in the deep sea can be hard to come by. This dead fish will provide critical calories for this crab and other scavengers and decomposers of the seabed.