Facts about Deep-sea Coral

1. 06

   Manganese oxide deposits accumulate on deep-sea coral skeletons at measurable rates, allowing scientists to date coral growth patterns and reconstruct historical ocean chemistry over millennia.

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2. 05

   Black coral species in the genus Leiopathes can live for over 4,000 years, making them among the longest-lived animals on Earth.

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3. 04

   Octocorals and stony deep-sea corals lack the symbiotic zooxanthellae algae that shallow-water corals depend on, instead filter-feeding on marine snow and organic particles from above.

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4. 03

   Tropical cyclones can trigger coral bleaching in deep-sea corals at depths exceeding 200 meters through rapid pressure and temperature changes in ocean water columns.

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5. 02

   Lophelia pertusa, the most studied deep-sea coral species, survives in near-freezing waters between 400 and 2,000 meters deep across the Atlantic Ocean.

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6. 01

   Some deep-sea coral species grow less than one millimeter per year, making a colony reaching three meters tall potentially over 4,000 years old.

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