August 26, 2004
Jon’s Journal: Day 19
BY: Jon Warrenchuk
August 17, 2004:The Atlantis is holding its position 800 meters over the summit of Giacomini Seamount, the last seamount we’ll be exploring on this expedition.
Tom Shirley and Peter Etnoyer are cruising the flank of the seamount in Alvin while collecting samples for their research. Towards the end of every dive, the scientists in the sub call in the science report to the bridge. That way, those of us on the ship can get ready to process the collected samples when they return to the surface. The science report is reported around the ship: 7 corals, 3 seastars, 5 rocks, 4 “slurp” samples, 1 fish.
Fish? Hmmm. We haven’t had a fish yet in our samples. I’m curious as to what it could be. A roughscale grenadier? A bignose skate? Shortspine thornyhead?
When the sub is retrieved and the samples are on deck, we find out. It’s a snailfish! Whoa, stand back, those babies can take your leg off! Just kidding. It’s only about 3.5 inches long, a real cutie.
The snailfishes are a diverse group of fish in the North Pacific (there’s probably several dozen species). Snailfish have a pelvic fin that’s modified into an adhesive disk used to stick onto things. This particular little dude was hanging out on a bamboo coral. All very interesting. Now into the alcohol jar with you!