Oceana explores the water world of Canary Islands, Spain – in pictures
From spookfish to vampire squid, and alive deep-sea white coral, the ocean conservation organisation’s ranger expedition documents the rich biodiversity of the Atlantic seamounts
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Mediterranean moray (Muraena helena) in black coral (Stichopathes sp) field in seamounts in the north of Canary Islands, Spain.
Photograph: Oceana
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Brown-snout spookfish (Dolichopteryx longipes) in Atlantic seamounts in El Hierro.
Photograph: Oceana
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Reef of deep-sea white coral (Madrepora oculata), perhaps photographed alive for the first time in the Canary Islands.
Photograph: Oceana
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Helmet jellyfish (Periphylla sp) in Bimbache, Sahara seamounts.
Photograph: Oceana
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Vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis sp) in Bimbache, Sahara seamounts.
Photograph: Oceana
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Siphonophora in the Atlantic seamount.
Photograph: Oceana
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Hexactinellid sponges (Aphrocallistes beatrix) in Punta Pequero, south of La Bonanza, El Hierro.
Photograph: Oceana
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Precious coral (Corallium niobe) and hexactinellid sponges in Bimbache, Sahara seamounts.
Photograph: Oceana
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Divers on basaltic seabed and crater. Roques de la Hoya, El Hierro.
Photograph: Carlos Minguell/Oceana
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Oceanic puffers (Lagocephalus lagocephalus) in El Desierto, El Hierro.
Photograph: Carlos Minguell/Oceana
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Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) in a cave in Punta Miradero, El Hierro.
Photograph: Carlos Minguell/Oceana
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Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) in Dacia seamount.
Photograph: Oceana
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The Ranger immersing a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) in El Hierro.
Photograph: Carlos Minguell/Oceana
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Manoeuvring the ROV in Torondo, El Hierro.
Photograph: Carlos Minguell/Oceana
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Albert Llopart, ROV pilot, monitoring the immersion.
Photograph: Carlos Minguell/Oceana
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ROV’s mechanical arm with a sample extracted from the seabed in El Llanito, El Hierro.
Photograph: Carlos Minguell/Oceana
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Expedition leader Ricardo Aguilar and videographer Kike Talledo recording the sponge samples.
Photograph: Carlos Minguell/Oceana