Several basket stars were seen entwined in the arms of a beautiful pink bubblegum coral during the seventh dive of the 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration expedition at 1,612 meters (5,289 feet) depth. The team collected a sample that included both the coral and one of the associated basket stars. These basket stars are in the genus Astrochele, which is known primarily from waters around the Aleutians; seeing them off the coast of Washington in deep water likely represents a range extension.
Entwined Basket Stars
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration. Download larger version (jpg, 1.17 MB).

Several basket stars were seen entwined in the arms of a beautiful pink bubblegum coral during the seventh dive of the 2023 Shakedown + EXPRESS West Coast Exploration expedition at 1,612 meters (5,289 feet) depth. The team collected a sample that included both the coral and one of the associated basket stars. These basket stars are in the genus Astrochele, which is known primarily from waters around the Aleutians; seeing them off the coast of Washington in deep water likely represents a range extension.