Currently, in order to take physical samples of an organism on the seafloor, you need to physically break off a piece or collect the entire specimen. There is a need to sample organisms in a less invasive way, by taking only small volumes of their tissue. This is the idea behind the “Stinger,” a needle biopsy sampler for soft corals and sponges. Once collected, the samples will be held in seawater or preserved with a fixative for later laboratory analysis. Several designs are currently being tested in a laboratory environment. Future plans include refining the design, tank testing, and the creation of both handheld units for divers and a model that could be integrated with a remotely-operated vehicle.