A crinoid with feathery, radial arms against a dark ocean floor background.
Iridigorgia Coral
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2025 Beyond the Blue. Download larger version (jpg, 1.59 MB).
This beautifully spiraling Iridigorgia coral was observed at a depth of 1,695 meters (5,561 feet) during Papahānaumokuākea ROV and Mapping expedition Dive 01. Iridigorgia, along with Paragorgia, Metallogorgia, and Paramercidae, were the dominant coral fauna present during the dive.