NOAA’s National Database for Deep-Sea Corals and Sponges: Data Set Dashboard (Cruise)

NOAA Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program (DSCRTP)

Report last ran on 2026-04-16

Go back to data set index page: LINK

Please send feedback if you notice any problems with this data set.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Okeanos Explorer, North Carolina, June-July, 2018

  • Dataset ID: NOAA_EX-18-06
  • Database Version: 20260416-1
  • Data Provider: NOAA, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
  • Data Contact: Gugliotti, Elizabeth:

Locator Map

Geographic Range

  • Ocean: North Atlantic
  • Fishery Management Council Region(s): South Atlantic
  • Large Marine Ecosystem(s): Southeast U.S. Continental Shelf, Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf
  • Marine Ecoregion(s): Carolinian, Virginian

Bounding box

Coordinates are in WGS 84: EPSG:4326

  • Minimum Latitude: 29.36672
  • Maximum Latitude: 36.23126
  • Minimum Longitude: -79.72947
  • Maximum Longitude: -74.46281

Overview

Note: The numbers below only reflect published records. Additional records may be retained by the Program for further review.

  • Number of records: 2,327
  • Number of coral records: 1,875
  • Number of sponge records: 452
  • Records with images: 2327
  • Record type(s): video observation
  • Minimum depth (meters): 328
  • Maximum depth (meters): 3,415
  • Number of records flagged as <50 meters depth: 0
  • Time frame: 2018 to 2018

Data Set Description: This is a subset of the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program’s National Database. Windows to the Deep 2018: Exploration of the Southeast U.S. Continental Margin was a two-part, 36-day telepresence-enabled expedition on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to collect data on priority exploration areas identified by the ocean management and scientific communities. Changes to the original dataset may have been made to conform to the National Database Schema and for quality control purposes. Further information can be found at: https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1803/welcome.html.

Data Set Level Citation

NOAA, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Observation date range: 2018 to 2018. Coral or sponge occurrence observations submitted to the NOAA National Database for Deep Sea Corals and Sponges (www.deepseacoraldata.noaa.gov). Principal investigator: Morrison, Cheryl | Sautter, Leslie. DSCRTP Dataset ID: NOAA_EX-18-06. Database version: 20260416-1.

Note: Individual records within a data set may have additional citations in the ‘Citation’ field.

Expedition Details

SurveyID Vessel VehicleName SamplingEquipment RecordType
EX1806 Okeanos Explorer R/V Deep Discoverer ROV ROV video observation

Taxonomic Summary

Percent of coral, sponge, and fish records by lowest taxonomic rank.

Corals

Number of coral records: 1,875

Taxon rank Percent of all
coral records
class 5 %
order 28 %
family 23 %
subfamily 5 %
genus 21 %
species 15 %
NA 3 %

Sponges

Number of sponge records: 452

Taxon rank Percent of all
sponge records
phylum 44 %
class 34 %
family 10 %
genus 2 %
species 10 %

Fishes

Number of fish records: 0

## No fish records in this data set.

Coral Taxa Observed

Note: Nothing will appear here if no coral taxa were observed.

ScientificName AphiaID Order Family Records
Acanella 125303 Scleralcyonacea Keratoisididae 13
Acanthogorgiidae 125272 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 3
Alcyoniidae 125269 Malacalcyonacea Alcyoniidae 12
Alternatipathes 994317 Antipatharia Schizopathidae 1
Anthomastinae 1510270 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 86
Antipatharia 22549 Antipatharia NA 62
Bathypathes 103304 Antipatharia Schizopathidae 47
Bathypathes pseudoalternata 1578714 Antipatharia Schizopathidae 7
Bathypsammia 267260 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 1
Chrysogorgiidae 125273 Scleralcyonacea Chrysogorgiidae 25
Coralliidae 125280 Scleralcyonacea Coralliidae 5
Dacrygorgia modesta 1608978 Malacalcyonacea Pterogorgiidae 11
Desmophyllum 135093 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 1
Desmophyllum pertusum 1245747 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 183
Distichoptilum 128497 Scleralcyonacea Protoptilidae 2
Enallopsammia 135112 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 54
Enallopsammia profunda 157965 Scleractinia Dendrophylliidae 1
Flabellidae 135075 Scleractinia Flabellidae 7
Heteropathes 723286 Antipatharia Cladopathidae 2
Isidella 125305 Scleralcyonacea Keratoisididae 3
Keratoisididae 1544106 Scleralcyonacea Keratoisididae 185
Keratoisis 125306 Scleralcyonacea Keratoisididae 1
Leiopathes 103305 Antipatharia Leiopathidae 12
Madrepora 135123 Scleractinia Madreporidae 24
Malacalcyonacea 1609357 Malacalcyonacea NA 5
Metallogorgia 125296 Scleralcyonacea Chrysogorgiidae 2
Nephtheidae 146762 Malacalcyonacea Nephtheidae 71
Octocorallia 1341 NA NA 99
Paramuricea 125311 Malacalcyonacea Acanthogorgiidae 15
Parantipathes 103306 Antipatharia Schizopathidae 5
Pennatula 128495 Scleralcyonacea Pennatulidae 1
Pennatuloidea 1609360 Scleralcyonacea NA 52
Plexauridae 125277 Malacalcyonacea Plexauridae 43
Plumarella 177839 Scleralcyonacea Primnoidae 50
Primnoidae 125278 Scleralcyonacea Primnoidae 65
Scleractinia 1363 Scleractinia NA 448
Scleralcyonacea 1609355 Scleralcyonacea NA 2
Solenosmilia variabilis 135168 Scleractinia Caryophylliidae 81
Stauropathes 267854 Antipatharia Schizopathidae 78
Stichopathes 103308 Antipatharia Antipathidae 83
Stylasteridae 22805 Anthoathecata Stylasteridae 19
Thouarella 125323 Scleralcyonacea Primnoidae 2
Umbellula 1757986 Scleralcyonacea Umbellulidae 6

Sponge Taxa Observed

Note: Nothing will appear here if no sponge taxa were observed.

ScientificName AphiaID Order Family Records
Aphrocallistes beatrix 134380 Sceptrulophora Aphrocallistidae 3
Aphrocallistidae 131686 Sceptrulophora Aphrocallistidae 1
Cladorhizidae 131644 Poecilosclerida Cladorhizidae 9
Demospongiae 164811 NA NA 41
Euplectella 132114 Lyssacinosida Euplectellidae 1
Euplectellidae 131692 Lyssacinosida Euplectellidae 12
Geodia 132005 Tetractinellida Geodiidae 5
Hexactinellida 22612 NA NA 113
Hyalonema 132096 Amphidiscosida Hyalonematidae 3
Phakellia 131779 Bubarida Bubaridae 1
Polymastiidae 131673 Polymastiida Polymastiidae 22
Porifera 558 NA NA 198
Vazella pourtalesii 172121 Lyssacinosida Rossellidae 43

Fish Taxa Observed

Note: Nothing will appear here if no fish taxa were observed.

## No fish records in this data set.

Please send feedback if you notice any problems with this data set.

Go back to data set index page: LINK