See-Through Headless Chicken Monster Wows Explorers

No, that title isn’t made-up clickbait; there is actually a swimming sea cucumber known as the headless chicken monster! Enypniastes sea cucumbers, like those spotted exploring Vogt Seamount east of the Mariana Trench, are unique in that they’ve evolved webbed swimming fin-like structures at the front and back of their bodies. These semi-transparent deep-sea invertebrates are also known to shed parts of their skin to generate a glowing cloud. While exploring the depths, the team also spotted a more transparent swimming cucumber relative from the Elpidiidae family with nearly translucent body cavity with orange digestive track shining from within.

The Mattingan: Mariana Arc Volcanic Exploration (NA171) expedition is exploring deep-sea areas identified by the local management and science community, including sites with signatures of active volcanism, abyssal plain habitats, and areas in and around the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument where new data can support resource management priorities. This expedition is supported by NOAA Ocean Exploration, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the US Geological Survey via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute.