SOC710-VP on research expedition to Sargasso Sea

University of Connecticut marine science Ph.D. students Brandon Russell and Eric Heupel took the SOC710-VP hyperspectral imaging system aboard the 72-foot Sea Dragon research vessel last month, during an expedition to the Sargasso Sea off the Islands of Bermuda.

The Sea Dragon is operated by Pangaea Explorations, and has sailed around 50,000 miles over the last two years as part of a series of research expeditions in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.

Russell and Heupel are leveraging the power of hyperspectral imaging to investigate animal camouflage, specifically by the fauna living within floating mats of Sargassum Gulf Weed.

“Biological camouflage is common in the oceans. Many animals hide against their background by matching its color and patterns,” said Russell and Heupel in Bermuda’s The Royal Gazette. “Until recently, traditional photography and human vision were used to investigate animal camouflage. However, fish, crabs, birds, and other animals have very different eyes. A crab that is hidden from humans may be obvious to some predators.”

By using computer models and spectral data collected with the SOC710-VP, Russell and Heupel are evaluating how well the Sargassum Crab can hide from diverse predators, such as frogfish, mahi mahi, and seabirds.

For more information on sargassum fauna camouflage and the SOC710-VP, see our application section on this research.