New octocoral family discovered near Costa Rica - ScienceAlert
Researchers have discovered a new species of octocoral, Laurinque elenya, and a new family, Laurinqueidae, on a seamount off the coast of Costa Rica. The coral thrives in deep, low-oxygen waters and provides a habitat for other marine life.
Why it matters
This discovery expands our understanding of deep-sea biodiversity and the complex ecosystems that exist in extreme marine environments.
--> On a seamount off the coast of Costa Rica, researchers described a new species of octocoral, Laurinque elenya, and established a new family for it — Laurinqueidae. The corals were found at depths of 360 to 529 meters during dives in 2019 and 2023, ScienceAlert reports .
Colonies of this coral grow to more than one meter in height and up to 1.2 meters in width. They have a densely branching structure covered with unusually elongated polyps — the small animals that make up a coral colony. The polyps can partially retract into the branches, while the sclerites — the coral’s microscopic skeletal structures — are distinguished by a range of shapes.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in