SERPENT Image & Video Database
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Phormosoma
No full textWalking over the seabed. Seems to be followed by small holothurian. This was noted on several occasions with different specimens of PhormosomaAn echinothuriid sea urchin.
Phormosoma sp., possibly P. bursarium or P. rigidum -- the former has curved aboral spines, and the ones in the images are straight, so a more likey this is P. rigidum (assuming it is a described species).
Note the dark, swollen spine tips marking the poison-bearing spines. Also, hypertrophied pedicellariae around the periphery.
Notice what appears to be a little holothuroid to the right
Submerged wood
No full textFeeding on wood as it is broken down by bacteriaThe observations of wood at the seabed at Lavani were infrequent and it was not encountered at all at Zafarani.
Tube worms covered the surface of the wood which also supported a number of anemones. In addition to the sessile fauna utilizing the wood as a substratum, there were numerous tubes worms (ampharetidae or sabellidae) and squat lobsters (Galatheidae) on the sediment around the wood.
The squat lobsters are likely of the genus Munidopsis which have been reported to feed on wood that has been degraded by bacteria (Hoyoux et al. 2012). They possess specialist spoon-shaped claws which they use to tear off pieces of decaying wood. Gut bacteria also aid in the squat lobsters’ digestion of the wood.
As the bacteria, wood-boring organisms and squat lobsters gradually breakdown the wood its energy is slowly distributed to the surrounding sediments. The enrichment of the sediment in the immediate vicinity of wood in the deep sea can dramatically increase the abundance of macrofaunal organisms over an extended time period (Bernardino et al. 2010)
Hermit crab and anemone
No full textThe anemone, Epizoanthus sp. is on the shell of the hermit crab Parapagurus sp. The larger crab is carrying the smaller one.These hermit crabs are of the Parapaguridae with anemones on the shells.
Given the depth, the hermits in these photos are almost certainly of the genus Parapagurus. The differences between species are often quite subtle, so it is impossible to say for certain which species are shown.
There are 4 species of Parapagurus reported from this area. They are likely either P. bouvieri or P. andreui, or perhaps even both species. Both associate with Epizoanthus spp., but they can occasionally be found in shells where the coelenterate is not as well developed and only partially covers the housing.
In this case the larger crab appears to be carrying the smaller one
P. pilosimanus is found only in the Atlantic (both sides), and so far have not seen any from the Indian Ocean
Sinobatis borneensis, the Borneo leg skate
No full textwas sitting on cp probe on the front of the ROV for an hour or soThis is a member of the family Anacanthobatidae (the classification is: Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Rajiformes (Skates and rays) > Anacanthobatidae (Smooth skates))
It is probably the species Sinobatis borneensis, the Borneo leg skate. Members of this family are very thin, sometimes translucent.
The depth occurrence and location are right for this species - although the tail looks a bit too short relative to body length.
Max length recorded is : 39.9 cm TL male
Depth range recorded is: 800 - 1100 m
Western Pacific: South China Sea and Taiwan.
Distinguishing features: Disc thin. Snout broad and long with rostral filament. Eye small and remote from snout. Pelvic anterior lobe leg-like and completely separate from posterior lobe. Pelvic posterior lobe fused with tail. Tail slender.
This species was described in 1965
1100meters depth in the Gumusut Kakap Field off Kota Kinabal
Benthothuria sp
No full textThis holothurian (sea cucumber) is a species of Benthothuria. It is probably B. cristatus
Echinothuriid
No full textWalking over the seabedAn echinothuriid sea urchin.
The hooves on the spines are diagnostic for what Mortensen called asthenosomine echinothurioids. (This basically excludes only the Phormosoma group).
Notice the dark tips of the aboral spines; these are venom-bearing tissues.
There are 8 genera in the group with hooves on the spines the ambulacral plating strongly suggests a Sperosoma or a Tromikosoma
Phormosoma
No full textWalking over the seabed. Seems to be followed by small holothurian. This was noted on several occasions with different specimens of Phormosoma (also see record http://archive.serpentproject.com/2230/)An echinothuriid sea urchin.
Phormosoma sp., possibly P. bursarium or P. rigidum -- the former has curved aboral spines, and the ones in the images are straight, so a more likey this is P. rigidum (assuming it is a described species).
Note the dark, swollen spine tips marking the poison-bearing spines. Also, hypertrophied pedicellariae around the periphery.
Notice what appears to be a little holothuroid to the right