The team used ROVs to survey depths ranging from 820 to 13,124 feet below the surface. During the expedition, marine scientists-located both onshore and at sea-mapped the ocean floor and observed regions along with the New England and Corner Rise Seamounts for the first time. coast while aboard the research vessel Okeanos Explorer. NOAA designed the mission to obtain more data on the poorly studied deepwater areas off the eastern U.S. The ROVs are part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) latest deep-sea project called the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones: New England and Corner Rise Seamounts expedition. Scientists spotted the marine animals with a remotely operated deep-sea vehicle (ROV) as it zoomed around the Atlantic Ocean's Retriever Seamount, exploring the area's ecosystem, reports Aylin Woodward for Insider. Marine researchers exploring an underwater mountain off the United States' East Coast spotted a yellow sea sponge and pink sea star that resemble a certain SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star, the iconic duo from the Nickelodeon cartoon series, "SpongeBob SquarePants." Sea stars are carnivores and are known to prey on sea sponges, crabs, oysters, clams, and coral. While Spongebob and Patrick are friends in the animated world, the relationship between sea stars and sponges is not as friendly in real life.