The ROV was gliding over an unexplored seamount at the Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll when operators spotted the creature, said Megan Cook, the director of education and outreach at The Ocean Exploration Trust's Nautilus Live.
"These are always so exciting and spectacular to see because — just, what an incredible animal," Cook told Live Science. .Sea cucumbers, or holothurians, are a diverse group, with many species distributed across the Central Pacific, Cook said.This is a useful adaptation that allows the sea cucumbers to cover more ground and search for new grazing spots, Cook said. .
(The organs soon grow back.) However, it's unknown if the species in the new video has that trick up its sleeve (or its anus), Cook said.
The team will continue to explore the Central Pacific, including many unexplored spots in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and its surroundings
"Our next ROV dives will be to Johnston Atoll, which is one of the most remote atolls in the whole planet," Cook said