Rarely Seen Endemic Mariana Butterflyfish Captured on Video

During our exploration of Ahyi Seamount (a shallow submarine volcano in the CNMI), the Corps of Exploration aboard E/V Nautilus dove ROV Hercules and found a stunning display of biodiversity. One of the most exciting animals spotted along the slope was a school of yellow-crowned butterflyfish (Chaetodon flavocoronatus). C. flavocoronatus  (flavo = yellow, coronatus = crown) is a deep-water fish endemic to the Mariana Islands but rarely caught on video. The team was thrilled seeing such a large school! 

Chaetodon flavocoronatus is part of the poorly known group of Indo-West Pacific butterflyfish. The species was discovered and named in the early 1980s by Robert Myers at the University of Guam Marine Laboratory. Thanks to our telepresence technology, OET is proud to share these beautiful, bright yellow fish with the people of the Mariana Islands and the entire world! This is a wonderful reminder of the vastness of what remains to be seen and discovered in our global ocean.

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 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.