Speedy Sea Urchin Gallops Across the Ocean Floor
This sea urchin is speeding across the ocean floor! Known for their modified tube feet, this Phormosoma species is part of the Echinothurioida Order. As you can see, some of this creature’s spines are enclosed in large membranous sacs, giving it an incredibly unique appearance. Nearly all of these types of sea urchin live in the deep sea but our scientists have never seen one move quite this quickly before.
This critter was captured on video during a dive within the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (co-managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA). The Monument protects near shore and coral reef ecosystems. Protecting entire ecosystems is vital for the species that depend on the ocean - from marine mammals to green sea turtles to seabirds.
Learn more about this expedition funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute.
Kingman Reef & Palmyra Atoll
The deep-water areas around Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll are within one of the largest marine protected areas in the world, the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM). Despite a growing number of expeditions to explore deep-sea environments of the PRIMNM, including a 2019 Nautilus expedition, many areas remain unexplored.
