ISPRA’s ‘Nautilus’ encounters a cow shark at 960 meters depth
During the oceanographic expedition of the PNRR MER project, thanks to a sophisticated ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), a real 'robotic vehicle' capable of diving and operating up to 2,000 meters deep, researchers have mapped ecosystems never studied before in the Mediterranean Sea, revealing extraordinary scenarios and new species in the coral and sponge forests that populate the abyss.
The images returned by the ROV revealed breathtaking scenarios: extensive colonies of red coral up to 900 meters deep, dense forests of sea pens (the so-called “sea pens”) between 100 and 140 meters and an astonishing benthic biodiversity, with the presence of black corals, white corals, sponges and banks of oysters and giant barnacles.
One of the most exciting events of the expedition was a rare encounter with the cow shark (Hexanchus griseus), a deep-sea predator that approached the ROV, attracted by the lights and sounds of the vehicle.