Vailuluʻu
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Vailuluʻu is a volcanic seamount discovered in 1975. It rises from the sea floor to a depth of 593 m and is located between Taʻu and Rose islands at the eastern end of the Samoa hotspot chain. The bas
The summit of Nafanua is covered with thick microbial mats, indicative of low-temperature venting
Broken pillow lavas, colored red by iron oxide, inside Vailuluʻu crater.
An octopus living on the western summit of Vailulʻu
Swimming elasipod sea cucumber, Paleopatides sp., photographed off the northern shore of Tau Island, Vailuluʻu Expedition 2005
Seamount
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A seamount is a large submarine landform that rises from the ocean floor without reaching the water surface, and thus is not an island, islet, or cliff-rock. Seamounts are typically formed from extinc
Vailuluʻu
…Vailuluʻu is a volcanic seamount discovered in 1975. It rises from the sea floor to a depth of 593 m (1,946 ft) and is located between Taʻu and Rose islands at the eastern end of the…
Bear Seamount
Pillow lava, a type of basalt flow that originates from lava-water interactions during submarine eruptions
Grenadier fish (Coryphaenoides sp.) and bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea) on the crest of Davidson Seamount. These are two species attracted to the seamount; Paragorgia arborea in particular grows in the surrounding area as well, but nowhere near as profusely.
Coral earrings of this type are often made from coral harvested off seamounts.