<div class="cbp-popup-wrapper"> <div class="cbp-l-inline"> <img src="/okeanos/explorations/okeanos-beyond-the-blue/ex2503/media/dive16-coral-sponge-800.jpg" alt="Underwater scene showing rocky terrain and marine life." /> </div> <div class="cbp-l-inline-below"> <div class="cbp-l-inline-title">Coral and Sponge Community</div> <div class="cbp-l-inline-subtitle"><i>Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2025 Beyond the Blue.</i> <a href="/okeanos/explorations/okeanos-beyond-the-blue/ex2503/media/dive16-coral-sponge.jpg" download target="_blank">Download larger version (jpg, 1.15 MB).</a></div> <div class="cbp-l-inline-desc">PapahÄnaumokuÄkea ROV and Mapping expedition Dive 16 began in a high-density and high-diversity coral and sponge community that included numerous species of <i>Chrysogorgia</i>, <i>Hemicorallium</i>, and bamboo corals; <i>Poliopogon</i>, <i>Stelodoryx</i>, <i>Farrea</i>, and <i>Bolosoma</i> sponges; and a variety of smaller associates, including brittle stars, squat lobsters, mollusks, foraminifera, hydroids, and many other taxa. Throughout the dive, we observed rapid transitions between high-density, high-diversity communities to sparse, low-diversity communities that appeared to correlate with changes in seafloor geology and/or current strength.</p></div> </div> <!--<div class="cbp-l-inline-view-wrap"> <a href="" type="button" class="btn btn-outline-primary btn-standard" title="Learn more">Learn more<i class="bi bi-chevron-right"></i></a> </div>--> </div>