Scientists discover new species of black corals near Australia

• Using a remote-controlled submarine, researchers recently discovered five new species of black corals living at 2,500 feet (760 metres) below the surface in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea off the coast of Australia.

Black Corals

• Found growing both in shallow waters and down to depths of over 26,000 feet (8,000 metres).
• Some individual corals can live for over 4,000 years.
• Many of these corals are branched and look like feathers, fans or bushes,.
• Filter feeders and eat tiny zooplankton that are abundant in deep waters.
• Important habitats where fish and invertebrates feed and hide from predators.

About the research

• A robot sent down to these particular deep-water ecosystems.
• Researchers collected 60 black coral specimens.
• Corals removed from the sandy floor or coral wall using the rover’s robotic claws.
• Corals placed in a pressurised, temperature-controlled storage box and then brought them up to the surface.
• The researchers then examined the physical features of the corals and sequenced their DNA.

Prelims Takeaway

• Corals