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U.S.-Indonesia expedition discovers new marine species
Date: 26-Aug-10
Author: NOAA
A rare and exciting look at the seafloor -- with images of unusual and beautiful creatures -- was offered to U.S. and Indonesian scientists working side-by-side at Exploration Command Centers in Jakarta and Seattle this summer.
As part of a joint mission, scientists from the United States and Indonesia partnered in a new model of ocean exploration that adds intellectual capital ashore to expeditions at sea.
One hundred hours of video footage and approximately 100,000 photos from high-definition cameras on the Institute for Exploration's remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) Little Hercules were collected during 27 dives from the Okeanos Explorer ranging in depth from approximately 800 feet [240 m] to over two miles [3 km]. The high-definition imagery provided never-before-seen views of seascapes and colorful, fascinating marine animals. Some expedition scientists believe that conservatively, 40 or more potential new species were observed.
 A stunning sea lily filters the current for food. Rarely seen, sea lilies are much less common than they once were in ancient seas. Courtesy: NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, INDEX-SATAL 2010
Full story: Indonesian, U.S. Scientists Explore Seafloor, Discover Significant Diversity and Find Unusual Inhabitants
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