Note how the branching pattern of this bamboo coral near the center of the image is different from elsewhere on the coral. This is due to a small anemone living on the coral, causing the coral to create small, basket-like branches around the anemone. We observed these anemones during Dive 02 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition and collected a sample for identification and documentation purposes, as the relationship between the anemone and its coral host is not well understood.
Anemone Living on Bamboo Coral
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones: New England and Corner Rise Seamounts. Download larger version (jpg, 1 MB).

Note how the branching pattern of this bamboo coral near the center of the image is different from elsewhere on the coral. This is due to a small anemone living on the coral, causing the coral to create small, basket-like branches around the anemone. We observed these anemones during Dive 02 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition and collected a sample for identification and documentation purposes, as the relationship between the anemone and its coral host is not well understood.

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