Gulf of Mexico Sea Life


  • Curious crabs get too curious
    During the sampling and imaging of corals for the ECOGIG 2015 expedition, Nautilus' ROV Hercules encountered several curious crabs-some a little too curious. Video courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust (nautiluslive.org).

  • Amazing diversity of deepwater corals
    This video shares the amazing biodiversity of deepwater corals that ECOGIG studies in the Gulf of Mexico. Video courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust (nautiluslive.org)

  • Stunning siphonophore
    This beautiful colonial organism drifted past ROV Hercules. They are made up of many smaller animals called zooids, and can be found in ocean basins around the world. Credit to Wikipedia for the information read aloud at the end. Video courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust (nautiluslive.org)

  • Dolphins and sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, 2015
    A pod of dolphins (and a few sharks!) visited the R/V Endeavor during a research cruise in the Gulf of Mexico - they spent several hours hanging around the ship. Video courtesy of Emma Siegfried (GATech, ECOGIG).

  • Sharks swarm ROV during dive
    Dusky sharks are seen in the cameras of the ROV Hercules during ascent in the Gulf of Mexico on a cruise with Nautilus Live. Along with dolphins, they are often seen by the team alongside the ship. Video courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust (nautiluslive.org)

  • Purple cephalopod
    Gorgeous purple cephalopod filmed by the ROV Hercules on an ECOGIG research cruise aboard the E/V Nautilus to the Gulf of Mexico. Video courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust (nautiluslive.org)

  • Giant siphonophore
    During the 2015 ECOGIG dives with Nautilus Live in the Gulf of Mexico, the team spotted a giant siphonophore that seemed to stretch for several feet. Video courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust (nautiluslive.org).

  • Phronima: Creature that inspired movie Alien
    The Phronima is a parasite that hitches a ride on a barrel-shaped salp and drifts through the open ocean. They are found in all of the world's oceans except for the polar regions. We were lucky enough to spot one during our exploration of the Gulf of Mexico in June. Video courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust (nautiluslive.org)

  • Unexpected biology in the Gulf of Mexico
    Mussels, squid, isopods, and more - with the help of Nautilus Live and ROV Hercules, we come across some amazing creatures during our coral research in 2014. Video courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust (nautiluslive.org)

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