Deep-sea fish, such as this toadfish, have evolved bizarre morphological features as adaptations to this extreme enviroment. Image captured by the Little Hercules ROV at 600 meters depth on the Paramount seamounts.

Deep-sea fish, such as this toadfish, have evolved bizarre morphological features as adaptations to this extreme enviroment. Image captured by the Little Hercules ROV at 600 meters depth on the Paramount seamounts.

An antimora swimming, a tonguefish and a squat lobster on the sediment below.

An eel-like fish with a macrourid fish hidden in the rocks, a white sunflower sea star, and a red squat lobster.

An antimora swimming over a boulder field

Deep sea fish, a red lithodid crab on the right, numerous small corals, and a few squat lobsters can be seen in this image.

Two large eels and two gadiform fish are seen hovering over a rock bottom. At least six small squat lobsters can be seen and two small white sea stars. Numerous small white corals are seen. The white circular objects on the rock face are possibly brachiopods.

A number of deep sea fish on a sand bottom. The fish are all aligned in the same direction. Possibly a function of current in the area. The crab in lower left is oriented approximately 90 degrees from the preferred fish orientation.

Deep sea fish all oriented in nearly the same direction with similar body curvature. There is also an eel poking its head out of the sand to the left of the laser dots.

Deep sea fish on a cobble and sand bottom.

Deep sea fish on a boulder and sand bottom. At least four different species can be discerned.

An eel and a gadiform fish on a primarily rock bottom. The white objects are brachiopods attached to the rock surface. Small anemones and small corals are also seen adhering to the rock surface.

Eels, brachiopods, small corals, and a few orange scorpion fish are seen in this image.

A gadiform fish, small corals, large brittles stars, and an eel on the right edge of the image are seen in this rock garden like image.

Find the goosefish in the left foreground and the eel head poking out of the rock outcrop. A large shrimp in the right foreground , many brittle stars, and brachiopods.

A field of brachiopods and ophiuroids on the seafloor with several fish, corals and a seastar in view. Image captured by the Little Hercules ROV at 600 meters depth on the Paramount seamounts. Notice the large anglerfish (aka goosefish) in the bottom center of the image.

Pilot fish (Naucrates ductor)

An eel-like fish over pillow lavas.

A deep-sea skate glides through a cloud of diffused "smoke".

A deep-sea skate glide through the outskirts of a vent field.

A deep-sea skate glide through the outskirts of a vent field.

A deep sea fish swimming over the barely perceptible bottom.

A deep sea fish swimming over pillow lavas with pinking bacterial mat material. The smokey appearance is actually caused by proximity to hydrothermal vents spewing mineral-laden waters.

A deep sea fish swimming over pillow lavas with pinking bacterial mat material. The smokey appearance is actually caused by proximity to hydrothermal vents spewing mineral-laden waters. The edge of crevice seen here is a crack in the near vicinity of the Galapagos Ridge spreading center.

A deep-sea skate reminiscent of a stealth bomber glides through a cloud of diffused "smoke", i.e., mineral laden waters from hydrothermal vents.

A deep-sea skate glides through a cloud of diffused "smoke", i.e., mineral laden waters from hydrothermal vents.

Eel-like fish swimming over lava field

Macrourid fish swimming over pillow lavas in areas of hydrothermal venting

Macrourid fish with blunt snout

Macrourid fish swimming over rock outcrop.

Macrourid fish in field of pillow lavas

Blunt nosed macrourid fish over pillow lavas

Macrourid fish in field of pillow lavas

Eel-like fish near crevice in pillow lavas.

Eel-like fish cruising over pillow lavas. A white crab is seen in the left distance.

Macrourid fish cruising over sediment covered bottom with stalked sponge in foreground.

Macrourid fish cruising over sediment covered bottom

Macrourid fish over field of pillow lavas.

Macrourid fish over field of pillow lavas.

Close up on rockfish hanging on the side of boulder. Image captured by the Little Hercules ROV at 600 meters depth on the Paramount seamounts.

Rock outcrop on Paramount Seamount with reddish pink brittle stars

Red holothurian on shattered appearing basalt boulders

Layered lava flow with aa lava in the foreground.

Classic pillow lava

Classic pillow lava with red holothurian.

Pillow lavas and murky water. Perhaps hydrothermal activity is close by.

Ropy pahoehoe lava on seafloor preserves direction of flow of lava. Perhaps . arcuate appearing area in lower left is indicative of eddy in fast moving sheet flow.

Lava structure on sea floor.

An archway formed by lava pillars supporting a remnant of intact lobate lava flow crust within a large collapsed lava lake. Individual ledges on the pillar form as "bathtub rings" as the lava freezes to the side of the pillar during the draining of the lava lake.

Rock outcrop with brisingid starfish