In situ video observations of benthic megafauna and fishes from the deep eastern Mediterranean Sea off Egypt

摘要: Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) video observations were used to document benthic fauna at a hydrocarbon drilling location, 2 720 m depth, in the poorly studied deep water off northern Egypt. The decapod Chaceon mediterraneus was most common organism site and only megafaunal invertebrate observed. Three species of fish, Coryphaenoides mediterraneus, Cataetyx laticeps Bathypterois also encountered. These findings confirmed these three as deepest-distributed fish eastern Mediterranean, that particular basin, is one world's poorest deep-sea ecosystems terms diversity. behaviour exhibited by observed consistent with their natatory capacity, deduced from feeding intensity (gut fullness) diet (mainly suprabenthic prey consumed), conservative life strategies adapted an extremely low energy environment.