Deep-Sea Wallpapers

As a thank-you to the many people who have told us how much they enjoy MBARI’s deep-sea images, we are providing a few of our stunning underwater images for use as wallpaper on desktops or mobile devices.

All of our wallpapers are high-definition quality—they look great as a desktop background image, as a Zoom background for conference calls, or as a Facebook cover photo

Note: These images are for personal use only. Please contact MBARI to request permission for other, non-commercial uses, such as research, education, or news, feature stories, or productions about MBARI.

Click on each image for download options and additional information about each animal.

Peacock squid

This peacock squid, Taonius sp., has large eyeballs bulging from its head and photophores, or light organs, under its eyes.

Bamboo coral

This deep-sea bamboo coral, Isidella tentaculum, has long stinging tentacles (“sweepers”) near the bottom to keep predators away.

Slime star

This adorable little deep-sea starfish (Pteraster sp.) may look innocent, but a potential predator will get a taste of some nasty slime if it tries to take a bite!

Harp sponge

The carnivorous harp sponge, Chondrocladia lyra, is found off the coast of California at depths between 3,300 and 3,500 meters (10,800 and 11,500 feet).

Sea pig

One of the most common seafloor animals offshore of Monterey Bay is this sea cucumber, Scotoplanes globosa, commonly known as a “sea pig.”

Gossamer worm

Tomopterids are pelagic polychaetes—segmented worms that swim in the water column, never touching the seafloor.

Firework jelly

This beautiful hydromedusa, Halitrephes maasi, is most frequently seen around 1,000 meters deep in Monterey Bay during the summer.

Hydrothermal vent

This stunning formation was discovered by researchers exploring hydrothermal vents and associated lava fields in the Gulf of California.

Woolly siphonophore

Siphonophores like Apolemia are deep-sea predators—lying in wait for unfortunate animals to blunder into their curtain of stinging cells.

Vampire squid

Vampyroteuthis infernalis, the vampire squid, is able to thrive in this harsh environment by feeding on mostly “marine snow”— a mixture of dead animal bodies, feces, and mucus.

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