video
Zombie Sponge
A feathery crinoid was seen perched atop a much stranger sight during Dive 04 of the third Voyage to the Ridge expedition. Dubbed a “zombie sponge” by scientists, this sponge that appears both living and dead is actually the result of a sponge larvae settling and growing within the skeleton of its deceased predecessor.
Credit

Video courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Voyage to the Ridge 2022.

Related Expedition
Voyage to the Ridge 2022