
image
July 19, 2020: Rock Habitat
These red Anthomastus octocorals, a squat lobster, an anemone, and shrimp were seen on a rocky outcrop during a dive on the Sigsbee Escarpment in the Gulf of Mexico to explore the northeastern flank of a large salt dome. Rocks serve as important habitat for life in the deep sea, providing hard surfaces for animals such as corals to grow on.