Squat Lobsters' Coconut Condo in Deep Sea

While diving on an unnamed seamount during our NA165 E Mamana Ou Gataifale II expedition in the waters of American Samoa, ROV Hercules spotted something curious over 2,300 meters deep: a coconut on the seafloor! This isn’t the first time we’ve seen one of these fruits this deep, a fact that highlights the connectivity of the Pacific Ocean and all the islands within it. Compared to marine snow, a coconut is a massive carbon sink that seems to become a gathering place for all kinds of life. Check out this highlight to spot several squat lobsters and watch Hercules’ sampling in action. After the sample was onboard E/V Nautilus in the wet lab, the science team also found empty snail shells and an anemone within the husk. 

The E Mamana Ou Gataifale II expedition (NA165) is led by Ocean Exploration Trust and funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration, NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations Uncrewed Systems Operations Center, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute in partnership with the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and with support from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Air/Sea Heritage Foundation.