Description: The brisingid sea-star
Novodinia antillensis perched on a rock next to a primnoid sea fan colony at 610 meters (2,001 feet) depth in Roatan, Honduras. In 2010 and 2011, a NOAA-led team of researchers explored the deep Meso-American Reef off Roatan, Honduras, as part of a multi-year expedition called 'Deep Coral and Associated Species Taxonomy and Ecology', or DeepCAST. The goal of DeepCAST is to estimate deep-sea coral abundance and diversity; and to discern the nature of the relationship between host corals and their associated species. The primary reasons we study deep-sea corals are because they provide habitat to other species of fish, sea stars, shrimp and crabs; and they grow very slowly, so they are vulnerable to bottom contact fishing gear. Image credit: NOAA DeepCAST II Expedition. (Original source:
National Ocean Service Image Gallery). Date: 24 June 2011, 08:05. Source:
Sea Star and Sea Fan. Author:
NOAA's National Ocean Service. Permission(
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16° 19′ 48.576″ N, 86° 31′ 09.736″ W View all coordinates using:
OpenStreetMap 16.330160; -86.519371.