# Deep-sea robot finds golden orb 3,200m deep

> Deep-sea robot discovers golden orb 3,200m deep in ocean, scientists stunned by its identity.
- Title: Deep-sea robot finds golden orb 3,200m deep | Shortify
- Summary: Deep-sea robot discovers golden orb 3,200m deep in ocean, scientists stunned by its identity.
- Keywords: deep-sea, golden orb, anemone, relicanthus daphneae, walker seamount, noaa, rov, hydrothermal vents, chitin, spirocyst, Discover Wildlife
- Source: Discover Wildlife — https://discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/marine-animals/the-deep-sea-golden-orb
- Author: Fergus Collins
- Published: 2026-11-05T10:16:57+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: deep-sea, golden orb, anemone, relicanthus daphneae, walker seamount, noaa, rov, hydrothermal vents, chitin, spirocyst, science
## Deep-sea discovery
Scientists found a mysterious golden orb 3,200m deep in the Gulf of Alaska during a 2023 expedition.
## NOAA expedition
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sent its ship Okeanos Explorer to map the Gulf of Alaska in autumn 2023.
## Golden orb discovery
Deep Discoverer ROV found a golden blob stuck to a rock at the Walker Seamount, 3,200m below the surface.
## Initial mystery
Scientists were baffled by the orb's appearance: 10cm across, golden, with a hole, no animal features.
## Scientific analysis
Experts used an integrative taxonomic approach to identify the orb as a Relicanthus daphneae anemone's cuticle.
## Chitin and spirocyst
The orb's tissue contained chitin and spirocyst stinging cells, linking it to the phylum Cnidaria.
## Genetic findings
DNA analysis confirmed animal DNA and genetic material from Relicanthus daphneae, a deep-sea anemone.
## Reproductive cycle
The orb may be part of a reproductive cycle where new anemones grow from abandoned cuticles.
## Key takeaway

Scientists identified a deep-sea anemone's cuticle as the golden orb found 3,200m below the surface in the Gulf of Alaska.