Corals: Related Content

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Two Years Later

On April 20, 2010, an explosion on the oil-drilling rig Deepwater Horizon caused the largest marine oil spill in US history, gushing nearly 5 million barrels of crude oil over the course of three months.

In the two years since, researchers have been hard at work studying the impacts of the spill. See photos and read about some of the things they've learned about the oil spill's impact on pelicans, dolphins, and corals in this slideshow, and see more in this blog post.

Coral Hermit Crab

A coral hermit crab, Paguritta harmsi, about the size of two grains of rice, living in coral in the waters of Japan's Ogasawara Islands.

Submersible Collects Deep-Sea Corals

Come along as scientist Dr. Brendan Roark narrates a submersible dive to collect and study deep-sea corals. Roark studies deep-sea corals to understand the history of the ocean and past ocean climates.

Scientists Conduct an ROV Dive

Auster and colleagues direct a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dive on the New England Seamounts. Three teams composed of three scientists and four ROV engineers take two 4-hour watches every day. During each dive the team decides on routes over the deep sea landscape, shoots video and still images to document coral communities and associated animals, and collects samples.

Fan Sponge

Dr. Martha Nizinski holds a specimen of a fan sponge (Phakellia sp.) collected at a deep-sea coral study site off the coast of South Carolina. Deep-sea corals and sponges provide structure for a variety of other organisms, which use these habitats for protection as well as for finding food and mates.

Deep-Sea Coral Sample

In the wet lab aboard the R/V Seward Johnson, Dr. Martha Nizinski examines a sample of the deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa, collected 600-m (1,969-ft) deep off the coast of the southeastern United States.

Views from the ROV Jason

Inside the control van for the remotely operated vehicle Jason, Dr. Brendan Roark and colleagues watch the ROV collecting deep-sea coral specimens. This NOAA expedition took place in November 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Florida. Learn more about deep-sea corals in the multimedia feature "Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea."

Gold Coral Close-up

This close-up photograph of gold coral (Gerardia sp.) was taken at the Cross Seamount in the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 400 m (1,312 ft).

Amy Baco-Taylor: Passionate about Deep-Sea Corals

Two events made me passionate about deep-sea corals. One was my first submarine dive in a deep-sea coral bed off the Hawaiian island of Oahu. There was an incredibly lush community of corals and associated invertebrates that were not well known, let alone understood. A couple of years later, I attended the first international deep-sea coral symposium, where I learned more about the importance of deep-sea corals and the devastating impact of humans on them.

Primnoid Coral

The branches of a primnoid coral in the genus Calyptrophora provide a habitat for galathaoid crabs. Learn more about the deep-sea coral reefs in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Amy Baco-Taylor, Deep-Sea Coral Scientist

Dr. Amy Baco-Taylor dives to deep-sea environments to study corals and the invertebrates that live in them.

Johnson-Sea-Link Submersible

The Johnson-Sea-Link submersible launches to study cold-water corals off Florida in 2009. Explore more the multimedia feature "Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea." 

Lophelia pertusa Colony

This colony of Lophelia pertusa was photographed from the Mingulay Reef Complex off Scotland in 2005. Learn more about the deep-sea coral reefs in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Corals in the Juan de Fuca Canyon and the Davidson Seamount

Discover some amazing corals in this footage that shows and identifies a range of deep-sea coral species from the Juan de Fuca Canyon off the Olympic coast and the Davidson Seamount, an underwater volcano outside the boundary of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in the Pacific Ocean. Explore more in the multimedia feature "Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea."

New Protection for Deep-sea Corals

In July 2010, NOAA established eight deep-sea coral habitat areas of particular concern (C-HAPCs) in the South Atlantic region. Highlighted on the map, these areas were selected because deep-sea coral colonies live there—or are suspected to live there.

Possession of deep-sea corals is prohibited within the C-HAPCs. Deep-sea corals living in these areas are also protected by the following restrictions:

Prohibited fishing gear

Protected Coral Areas

In July 2010, NOAA established these deep-sea coral habitat areas of particular concern (C-HAPCs) in the U.S. South Atlantic Fishery Management Council region. Specified fishing gear and possession of coral are prohibited in these deep-sea coral areas.

Valuable in so Many Ways

CREDIT: HBOI A Cure for What Ails You?

Technology Lights the Way

CREDIT: Bathymetry map by Seafloor Systems, Inc. Image credit: A. Maness Mapping Deep-Sea Corals

 Using a technique known as multibeam sonar, ocean scientists working at the surface can now create 3-D maps of the ocean floor below. These detailed images enable scientists to locate areas where deep-sea corals might be found and to learn more about the conditions under which these corals live.

Newly Discovered Deep-Sea Corals

It's a new age of discovery for scientists studying deep-sea corals.

Diversity of Deep-Sea Corals

Sample the surprising diversity of deep-sea corals. See some of the ways they differ in color, shape, and size. Explore more in the multimedia feature "Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea."

New Soft Coral

Discovered in 2004 and named in 2009, this Gersemia juliepackardae coral has been spotted and collected at several seamounts in the northeast Pacific Ocean at depths of 500-2,000 m (1,640-6,562 ft). Learn about more deep-sea discoveries in our Deep-sea Corals article.

New Genus of Bamboo Coral

Found 1,751 m (5,745 ft) below the surface of Hawaii’s waters in 2007, this orange bamboo coral is 1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft) tall. It is thought to represent a new genus. Learn about more deep-sea discoveries in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Corals at the Smithsonian

Smithsonian zoologist Dr. Steve Cairns named and described this deep-sea coral species, Stephanocyathus paliferus, which is now preserved in the collections of the National Museum of Natural History. The specimens will contribute to future research about deep sea corals. Collection cards record where and at what depths this particular species lives. Learn more about how ocean scientists study deep-sea corals in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Growth Experiment

New, white growth emerges from a living deep-sea coral sample that was stained pink, enabling ocean scientists to measure its coral growth rate. Find out more about how ocean scientists study deep-sea corals in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Sample Close-up

Marine scientists photographed and measured this gorgonian coral (Chrysogorgia sp.) and deep-sea shrimp (Bathypalaemonella sp.) just as they were collected—together. Find out how ocean scientists study deep-sea corals in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Submersible with Coral Samples

The Johnson-Sea-Link submersible reaches the ocean’s surface with a specimen of Keratoisis bamboo coral inside its collection box. Find out how ocean scientists study deep-sea corals in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Red Coral

A fan-shaped colony of red coral (Corallium sp.) on the Davidson Seamount provides a perch for three basket stars as they feed. See more pictures of coral in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Sea Whip Coral

The pink strands of this single deep-sea coral harbor a variety of marine life. Sea whips are gorgonian corals and have flexible skeletons. See more pictures of coral in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Black Corals

Black corals, like this one growing on the Manning Seamount off the New England coast, often resemble bushes or trees. Contrary to its name, the living tissue of black coral can be one of several colors. It’s the skeleton that is black. See more pictures of coral in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Coral Thicket with Lobster

A thicket of white stony coral (Lophelia pertusa) shelters a squat lobster (Eumunida picta). This is the typical shape of this widespread species of deep-sea coral. See more pictures of coral in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Diverse Deep-Sea Coral Community

A diversity of deep-sea corals—including primnoid coral (Narella sp.), black coral (Trissopathes pseudtristicha), and feather stars (Florometra serratissima)—flourish 2,669 m (8,757 ft) deep on the pristine Davidson Seamount off the coast of California. Explore more in the multimedia feature "Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea."

Protected Deep-sea Corals

These deep-sea corals at the Madison-Swanson Marine Reserve in the Gulf of Mexico are protected, along with the marine life they harbor. Learn more about deep-sea corals and marine protected areas in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Coral Trapped in Trawler Net

A net used to trawl the ocean floor scooped up this large specimen of deep-sea coral. Because the ship was trawling for other species, the coral was discarded as bycatch. Fishing in deep-water habitats poses a major threat to deep-sea corals. Read more about vulnerable coral habitats in our Deep-sea Corals article.

Deep-Sea Coral Bands

This specimen of the deep-sea coral Desmophyllum dianthus shows the visible bands that help marine scientists learn how ocean conditions changed over time. By looking at the thickness of each band, scientists can estimate how much the corals grew during a given time period. This information sheds light on what ocean conditions existed during that period.

How old is black coral?

This deep-sea black coral from Hawaii (Leiopathes sp.) is more than 4,200 years old.

Coral Growth Rings

Ultraviolet light illuminates the growth rings in a cross-section of a 44-year-old Primnoa resedaformis deep-sea coral collected off the coast of Newfoundland in about 400 m (1,312 ft) of water. Similar to tree trunks, cross-sections reveal coral-growth rings that can be used to determine their age.

Manning Seamount Coral Colony

A variety of deep-sea corals and associated marine organisms colonize the rocky surface of Manning Seamount, part of the New England Seamount Chain located in the Atlantic Ocean several hundred miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Deep-Sea Camera

Lights attached to this modern deep-sea camera system enable scientists to capture detailed images of deep-sea coral reefs and their inhabitants in otherwise dark water.

Submersible Launch

The Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory’s Pisces V submersible is lowered for a dive to study deep-sea corals. Learn more about research into deep-sea corals in the multimedia feature "Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea."  

Collecting Deep-Sea Crabs

A robotic arm on the Johnson-Sea-Link submersible retrieves Galatheid crabs for research. Growing in the background is a species of the deep-sea coral Lophelia. Explore more in the multimedia feature "Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea."  

Shallow and Deep-Sea Coral Reefs

Unlike the shallow tropical coral reef pictured on the top, the deep-sea Oculina reef at bottom does not require sunlight. Learn more in the article "Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea."

Aleutian Coral Reef

Several species of deep-sea corals form a garden 165 m (540 ft) below the ocean’s surface off the coast of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Explore more in the multimedia feature "Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea." 

What Lives in the Gulf of Mexico? Exploring Marine Collections on Google Earth

When he was 10 years old, Stephen Cairns lived in Cuba where he kept a collection of butterflies and sea shells. When his family moved to Louisiana, he could bring only one of the collections with him. He chose the shells. He says that is when he knew he was going to be a marine biologist.

Diseased Coral

A photo taken at a reef near Bocas del Toro, Panama. The reef suffered a mass bleaching event in the summer of 2010, when water temperatures were unusually high. In this photo, healthy brown coral gives way to the frontlines of disease.

The Coral Gardener

A still from The Coral Gardener, part of the 19th Annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital.

Medicines from the Sea

You may not think of the ocean as a pharmacy but scientists are developing exciting new medicines from the sponges, corals, and other marine organisms found in the sea. Explore other videos that capture the beauty and mystery of the ocean realm at NOAA Ocean Today.

A Tale of Sex and Stress in the Ocean

Welcome to Citizens of the Sea, a new blog series where ocean life comes to life. Our book by the same name came out in September, but no sooner had it gone off to the printer than new ocean stories started streaming in. So every other week, we’ll use this series to explore some interesting aspect of marine life forms and their weird and wonderful ways of getting by.

The Smithsonian Community Reef

Local crafters who contributed to the Smithsonian Community Reef proved that there is no limit to the colorful reef forms that can be created using hyperbolic crochet techniques. Their wildly imaginative pieces are on display alongside the main installation of the Institute For Figuring’s Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef at Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History from October 16, 2010 to April 24, 2011.

Crochet Coral Reef Community Window Display

Local yarn and craft shops were highly involved in creating the Smithsonian Community Reef—the local community’s accompaniment to the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef exhibit. The HCCR, created by Margaret and Christine Wertheim of the Institute For Figuring, was on display in the Sant Ocean Hall from October 16, 2010, through April 24, 2011.

The People's Reef

The People's Reef, a part of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef, from above. The HCCR was created by Margaret and Christine Wertheim of the Institute For Figuring and is on exhibit at Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History from October 16, 2010 to April 24, 2011.

Mystery Photo: Prickly Puzzler on the Reef

What is this bizarre, spiky-looking organism? Hint: it can be found in tropical areas of the Pacific and Indian ocean basins crawling slowly over coral reefs and devouring any living coral polyps that it encounters. “Outbreaks” of this organism can devastate entire reef systems. Click here to reveal the answer.

Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Forms

Crocheted corals from the Smithsonian Community Reef group on Flickr. The community reef project is a satellite reef of the Institute For Figuring’s Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef exhibition, was on display in Sant Ocean Hall from October 16th, 2010 through April 24th, 2011.

Shallow Coral Reef Foraminifers

In this photo of a shallow coral reef in the Pacific there are three species of forams. On the left, Peneroplis planatus. In the center, Amphistegina lessonii.

Hiding Blennie

Portrait of a yellow-green blennie (family Clinidae) hiding in the groove of a green brain coral.

Coral Colony

Flower-like clusters of polyps make up this coral colony. Their pink color comes from the zooxanthellae living inside. More about coral reef ecosystems can be found in our Coral Reefs featured story.

Coral Reef on Gangga Island, Indonesia

Corals, sponges, and algae are the major components of most coral reef communities. To the untrained eye, they are sometimes difficult to tell apart. More about coral reef ecosystems can be found in the Coral Reefs section.

Bleached Corals

What is coral bleaching? These white corals in the Gulf of Mexico’s Flower Garden Bank National Marine Sanctuary are bleached due to an increase in water temperatures, which causes corals to lose the microscopic algae that provide them with food. Bleaching spells trouble for coral reefs. Learn more in the Coral Reefs section.

Close-up of a Coral Polyp

In this close-up photo, you can actually see the photosynthetic algae, or zooxanthellae, living inside a tiny coral polyp. Look for the brownish-green specks in the colorless polyp. Corals depend on these algae for food and for some of their oxygen. To learn more about coral reefs, explore our featured ecosystem Coral Reefs.

Indonesian Coral Reef

A variety of organisms make their home on this tropical coral reef in Indonesia. More about coral reef ecosystems can be found in the Coral Reefs section.

Rudist Clams

Rudist clams are mollusks that went extinct about 65 million years ago. They were the reef builders of the Cretaceous Period, the heyday of the dinosaurs. Today corals have taken over the role rudists once filled.

Deep Ocean Corals, Smithsonian Institution

Solitary corals in the Smithsonian collection provide information about deep ocean diversity. The species shown here, Stephanocyathus paliferus, was named and described by Smithsonian zoologist Dr. Steve Cairns. More about life in the deep sea can be found in the Deep Ocean Exploration section.

Zoanthids on Hydrothermal Vent

Flower-like zoanthids, relatives of coral, carpet a hydrothermal vent. This species of zoanthid is the first ever discovered at a hydrothermal vent. See more pictures of incredible deep sea diversity at our slideshow!

Coral Reef

Built by living organisms, coral reefs are a dazzling mosaic of colors and textures, pulsing with activity. More about coral reef ecosystems can be found in our Coral Reefs featured story.

Manning Seamount Corals

A variety of corals colonize the rocky surface of Manning Seamount, part of the New England Seamount Chain located in the Atlantic Ocean several hundred miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. This photo was taken on May 15, 2004, at a depth of 1,718 meters (5,636 feet) by the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Hercules.

Map of New England Seamount Chain

The New England Seamount Chain is the longest in the North Atlantic Ocean. It includes more than 30 major volcanic peaks. Seamounts provide a solid surface for corals and other marine animals to cling to.

Balanus Seamount

A large white coral (Corallium sp.) grows on the Balanus Seamount, part of the New England Seamount chain. Hanging on to the coral are stalkless crinoids and orange brittlestars (Opiacantha sp.) To the left are two vase sponges. This photo was taken on May 22, 2004, at a depth of 1,745 meters (5,725 feet) by the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Hercules.

Manning Seamount Deep Coral Communities

Colorful corals and brittlestars inhabit the Manning Seamount in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of New England. Here you can see golden-colored coral (Enallopsamia rostrata), pinkish-brown coral (Solenosmilia variabilis), pink soft coral (Candidella imbricate), and brittlestars (Ophiacantha sp.).

A Tale of Deep Corals

Students describe and explain the two hypotheses for the frequent occurrence of deep-sea corals in the vicinity of hydrocarbon seeps. Students evaluate relevant experimental data and explain how this data may support or refute these hypotheses. Students define and contrast coincidence and causality, explain the relevance of these terms to hypotheses such as those related to deep-sea corals and hydrocarbon seeps.

For more information:
http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

Treasures in Jeopardy

Students will be able to compare and contrast deep-sea coral reefs with their shallow-water counterparts; explain at least three benefits associated with deep-sea coral reefs; describe human activities that threaten deep-sea coral reefs; and describe actions that should be taken to protect deep-sea coral reef resources.

For more information:
http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

Caution! Do Not Bleach

Students learn why coral reefs are important, and what possible explanations are for the phenomenon known as “coral bleaching.”

For more information about NOAA Ocean Service, visit http://oceanservice.noaa.gov.

Keeping Watch on Coral Reefs

Students learn why coral reefs are important, and what can be done to protect them from major threats.

For more information about NOAA Ocean Service, visit http://oceanservice.noaa.gov.

Coral Conservation

Students will learn about the natural and human threats to coral reefs including destructive fishing practices.

For more information about the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, visit http://coralreef.noaa.gov.

Life of a Coral Reef Fish

To synthesize a lesson on coral reefs, students write first person narratives as though they were reef organisms including their daily lives and the threats facing themselves and their communities.

Symbiosis and Coral Anatomy

Students read and then present to the class about different types of symbiosis. They are then introduced through a PowerPoint presentation to the coral-zooxanthellae relationship. For more information about the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, visit  http://coralreef.noaa.gov.

7th Grade Moorea Coral Reef LTER Education Curriculum

These life science lessons and activities are about coral reefs and evolution and include “What is Coral?”, “Coral Adaptations,” and several on symbiotic relationships. For more information and to download the lesson plans and activities, go to http://mcr.lternet.edu/education/.