A sea pen with symmetrical, fan-like branches against a dark background.
Carnivorous Sponge
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2025 Beyond the Blue. Download larger version (jpg, 500 KB).
While exploring a sediment-filled basin at the base of the Murray Fracture Zone during Dive 02 of the Papahānaumokuākea ROV and Mapping expedition, we encountered several interesting carnivorous sponges, like the one pictured here, seen at a depth of 4,780 meters (15,682 feet).