DOUBLE the Chaunacops in Micronesia!

While exploring the deep-sea in the Federated States of Micronesia, our Corps of Exploration found two specimens of one of our favorite fish: the Chaunacops sp.! Chaunacops is a genus of anglerfish easily recognizable by their round bodies, pink hue, and frowny faces. Also known as frogfish or coffin fish, they have a fluffy lure that appears as small white dots in the middle of their foreheads. 

In this video, we combine two sightings from Chuuk State. We spotted the first one on the slopes of Unnamed FSM Seamount 2 (approximately 79 km southwest of Lamotrek Island) at 1,125 meters (3,690 feet deep) and the second on Unnamed FSM Seamount 3 (roughly halfway between Ifalik and Chuuk) at 2,706 meters (8,877 feet deep). Both encounters give a chance to check out the modified pelvic fins these anglerfish perch upon to patiently lure their prey on the seafloor. 

Ocean Exploration Trust's Deep-Sea Habitats in the Mariana Islands I & II (NA179 & NA180) expeditions are primarily supported by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute, with additional support from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for AUV Sentry’s participation. These dives were conducted under a scientific permit from the National Oceanic Resource Management Authority of the Federated States of Micronesia.