Mud Monsters: 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas

During a dive in the Marianas region on a site dubbed ’Twin Peaks,’ scientists observed fauna ranging from swimming sea cucumbers, carnivorous sponges, and acorn worms to several long-legged isopods, hermit crabs with commensal anemones, pregnant mysid shrimp, many stalked sponges, several deep-sea lizard fish (Bathysaurus cf molis), and a shrimp with unique adaptations that was unknown to our science team. Video courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2016 Deepwater Exploration of t