Lophelia II 2009: Garden Banks 535 $
The westernmost aggregation of Lophelia pertusa coral in the North Atlantic was disovered in an oil and gas lease block called Garden Banks 535 during Lophelia II 2009 Expedition. Lophelia colonies occurred on large carbonate outcrops near 500 m depth. Many squat lobsters and fishes were seen in and around the coral colonies. Slimeheads, tinselfish, and a chain catshark were present. Learn more about these animals, and the Lophelia II 2009 mission, in the links below.
Video courtesy Lophelia II 2009: Reefs, Rigs, and Wrecks Expedition, sponsored by Minerals Management Service and NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Music is "Cambodean Odessy" by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com