Lophelia II 2008: Extraordinary Redeye Gaper

Scientist discovered a redeye gaper (Chaunax sp.) venting water at 240 meters (788 feet) depth at the Green Canyon dive site. This expedition was the first cruise of a 4-year project to explore new deepwater coral communities in the Gulf of Mexico at both natural and human-made sites. The goal of the project was to also characterize these communities in terms of coral habitat characteristics, biology, ecology, and genetic connectivity. Video courtesy of Lophelia II 2008: Deepwater Coral Expedition: Reef