SERPENT Image & Video Database
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Synaphobranchid eel
No full textFeedingThe fish in the images looks like a species of the Synaphobranchid genus Ilyophis. This is based on the inflated looking snout, relatively small eye, and prominent white lateral line pores.
A possible species is Ilyophis blachei from the depth and body size.
It is feeding on a crustacean, perhaps a member of the Dendrobranchiat
Oreo (Neocyttus acanthorhynchus) from Golfinho Mozambique
No full textswimming near seafloorNeocyttus acanthorhynchus fish on hard substratum off Mozambique.
The fish in the grab is an Oreo, family Oreosomatidae, possibly Neocyttus acanthorhynchus, described by Gilchirst 1908 from off Madagascar. This photo is very similar to Neocyttus helgae from the NE Atlantic. I believe several specimens of the photographed species were trapped during the Russian cruise of the Vityaz many years ago. There is no common name for this species. It is closely related to the spikey oreo, Neocyttus rhomboidalis, well known, and fished commercially, on the Atlantic side of South Africa. But the spikey oreo (also previously called the oreo dory, and sometimes black dory - particularly in the fishery) has a less angular shape without the marked dip in front of the dorsal fin. This photo makes me suspicious, wondering if N. helgae and N. acanthorhynchus are perhaps the same species with a classic anti-tropical (bi-polar) global distribution. Your photos are remarkably similar to N. helgae. If they are indeed N. acanthorhynchus, your photos may be the first life photos of same
Swimming sea cucumber
No full textSwimmingA swimming sea cucumber (Holothurian) seen 5 m above the seabed at Lavani
Octopus - Eledone cirrhosa
No full textSwimming and restingI think it is Eledone cirrhosa, this is partly because of the distribution (Clair Ridge is fairly shallow and ‘warm’ water), but also because of the pale coloured ridge around the edge of the mantle, yellowish colour and because it looks like it has one row of suckers (although this is basically guesswork from the image quality). Bathypolypus and Benthoctopus have a double row of suckers widely spaced on each arm and tends to live in deep-water (Benthoctopus piscatorum is known from 1400-2520 m depth in the Rockall Trough and Faroe-Shetland Channel) . Benthoctopus is also usually smooth and red/purple in colour. Benthoctopus piscatorum has arms approximately four times the mantle length, which is not consistent with the images
Comb Jelly
No full textA ctenophore drifting past the ROV's cameras.
The cilia can be seen reflecting the lights of the vehicle
Ipnops sp.
No full textA fish that has been rarely photographed. There are three known species of Ipnops. I. agassizi (shaloower than 2000 m) and I. meadi (deeper than 3500 m) are found in the Indian Ocean. It is not possible to identify this specimen to species level because the image resolution isn't high enough.
Also encountered at the Zafarani site: http://archive.serpentproject.com/2190
Benthothuria sp
No full textThis holothurian (sea cucumber) is a species of Benthothuria. It is probably B. cristatus
