Media Gallery: Photos Oldest

  • Photograph from above of two brown nudibranchs with white-ringed deep purple spots, crawling in a line.

    Leopard Sea Slugs Crawl Together
    Dec 4 2009 - 2:59pm
    Two brown and purple nudibranchs (Risbecia tryoni), crawling in tandem on a surface encrusted with pink-colored coralline algae. These "sea slugs" live in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean...
  • A rendering of an underwater marine scene depicting life ~145-65 million years ago, when rudist clams were the major reef builders.

    Carbonate Reef (Cretaceous Period: 145 - 65 Million Years Ago)
    Dec 4 2009 - 3:21pm
    This illustration shows the edge of a warm inland sea during the Cretaceous Period, heyday of the dinosaurs. Constantly shifting sediment supported new groups of organisms, including rudist clams—...
  • Colorful corals and brittlestars on Manning Seamount off the New England coast.

    Manning Seamount Deep Coral Communities
    Dec 4 2009 - 3:31pm
    Colorful corals and brittlestars inhabit the Manning Seamount in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of New England. Here you can see golden-colored coral (Enallopsamia rostrata), pinkish-brown coral (...
  • A variety of corals cling to Manning Seamount, just off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

    Manning Seamount Deep Coral Community
    Dec 4 2009 - 3:33pm
    A variety of corals colonize the rocky surface of Manning Seamount, part of the New England Seamount Chain located in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. This photo was...
  • A white coral (Corallium sp.) and two vase sponges (left) grow on an Atlantic Ocean seamount.

    Balanus Seamount
    Dec 4 2009 - 3:35pm
    A large white coral (Corallium sp.) grows on the Balanus Seamount, part of the New England Seamount chain. Hanging on to the coral are stalkless crinoids and orange brittlestars (Opiacantha sp.) To...
  • Photograph of an orange many-armed sea star on an erect delicately-branched coral in a dark sea.

    Sea Star on Coral at Seamount
    Dec 4 2009 - 3:37pm
    A bright orange sea star (Novodinia antillensis) clings to a large white soft coral (Paragorgia sp.). This photo was taken on the Manning Seamount at a depth of 1,350 meters (4,429 feet) by the...
  • The New England Seamount Chain is the longest in the North Atlantic Ocean and includes peaks of more than 30 extinct volcanoes.

    Map of New England Seamount Chain
    Dec 4 2009 - 3:39pm
    The New England Seamount Chain is the longest in the North Atlantic Ocean. It includes more than 30 major volcanic peaks. Seamounts provide a solid surface for corals and other marine animals to...
  • Algae has overtaken this coral reef off heavily populated Kiritimati, or Christmas Island.

    Unhealthy Coral Reef, Kiritimi, Line Islands
    Dec 7 2009 - 1:48pm
    Algae has overtaken this coral reef off heavily populated Kiritimati, or Christmas Island. Few fish swim in the murky waters. The causes include pollution, overfishing, and increased water...
  • Christine, the Ocean Portal Community Manager wants to hear from you. Please leave a comment, send us an email, or use the feedback module to let her know what you think of the site.

    The OP Community Manager
    Dec 7 2009 - 3:07pm
    Christine, the Ocean Portal Community Manager wants to hear from you. Please leave a comment, send us an email, or use the feedback module to let her know what you think of the site.
  • Polar bear siblings in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area near Hudson Bay spar playfully during migration.

    Polar bears at play
    Dec 7 2009 - 3:10pm
    Polar bear siblings in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area near Hudson Bay spar playfully during migration.
  • Close-up photograph of the face of a blue footed booby.

    Blue-footed Booby
    Dec 7 2009 - 3:14pm
    Blue-footed Boobies (Sula nebouxii), common in the Galapagos Islands and other warm coastal areas of the Pacific, can catch flying fish in mid-air. Their blue feet are for fashion AND function. Male...
  • Hybrid vehicles combine the best features of ROVs and AUVs.

    Hybrid Underwater Vehicle
    Dec 7 2009 - 10:41pm
    A hybrid underwater vehicle combines the best features of an ROV (remotely operated vehicle), which is connected to a ship in order to transmit data and video feeds, and an AUV (autonomous underwater...