Sea Cucumbers Eat Deep-Sea Sediment
Getting a glimpse into abyssal plain ecology is such a treat! While diving ROVs Little Hercules and Atalanta on the abyssal plain in international waters south of the Hawaiian EEZ and east of the Johnson Atoll, over 5,600 meters (18,000 feet) deep, we spotted multiple holothurians eating off the seafloor. Enjoy a new perspective on the fan-favorite headless chicken monster, Enypniastes eximia!
We saw these holothurians grabbing up the sediment, seeking out detritus for a meal- a type of feeding behavior that is critical to long-term carbon sequestration on the seafloor and deep-sea food webs. The cucumbers use their specialized oral tentacles to paddle up organic material from the sediment deposited by falling marine snow, helping recycle nutrients (including carbon and nitrogen) in the abyss.
Ocean Exploration Trust's NA182 Exploration of the Hawaiian Islands is funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute.
Deep-Sea Habitats of the Hawaiian Archipelago
Our final OECI-sponsored expedition of 2026 brings E/V Nautilus back to the Hawaiian Islands. While nearshore waters surrounding the islands have been relatively well surveyed, many offshore areas remain completely unexplored, hindering efforts to effectively manage the resources of this unique region.
