AP Exclusive: Deep-sea volcano a hotspot for mysterious life [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

AP Exclusive: Deep-sea volcano a hotspot for mysterious life
Sep 16, 8:34 PM EDT
By CALEB JONES
Associated Press



A deep sea shark and several eels are attracted to bait placed at
the summit of the Cook seamount, seen from the Pisces V
submersible during a dive to the previously unexplored seamount
off the coast of Hawaii's Big Island on Sept. 6, 2016. Seamounts
are hotspots for marine life because they carry nutrient-rich water
upward from the sea floor. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)


GEOLOGIST SEAMOUNTS, Hawaii (AP) -- The turquoise waters became darker and darker, and squiggly glow-in-dark marine creatures began to glide past in the inky depths like ghosts.

The three-man submarine went down, down, down into the abyss and drew within sight of something no human had ever laid eyes on: Cook seamount, a 13,000-foot extinct volcano at the bottom of the sea.

Scientists aboard the vessel Pisces V visited the volcano earlier this month to examine its geological features and its rich variety of marine life, and an Associated Press reporter was given exclusive access to the dive. It was the first-ever expedition to the Cook seamount by a manned submersible.

Among other things, the researchers from the University of Hawaii and the nonprofit group Conservation International spotted such wonders as a rare type of octopus with big fins that look like Dumbo's ears, and a potentially new species of violet-hued coral they dubbed Purple Haze.

More:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_UNEXPLORED_DEEP_SEA_VOLCANOES_HIOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-09-16-20-34-10