Creatures of the Continental Slope

The continental slope—the steep descent from the shelf to the abyssal plain—hosts rich biodiversity:

• Deep-sea corals – Cold-water corals forming biogenic habitats.
• Sponges – Filter feeders on plankton.
• Echinoderms – Starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers; important grazers.
• Fish – Cod, haddock, halibut, flounder; supports commercial fisheries.
• Marine mammals – Whales, dolphins, seals feeding on slope fauna.
• Benthic invertebrates – Sponges, sea stars, brittle stars, deep-sea squids in cold, dark waters.