This latest type of black coral is unique in that it thrives in warm waters such as the Red Sea, which has a temperature of 22 °C. Scientists were aiming to explore deep-sea ecosystems of the ...

These creatures – jet black, round-bodied and with long spikes – may be better known for their painful stings. But they are also a crucial part of the ecological system of these coral reefs.

A healthy coral reef with both hard corals and softer-bodied relatives at Chinchorro Reef in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. (Photo courtesy of David Paz-Garcia) In 1980, the National Museum of Natural ...

Once the sea urchins disappeared, the algae multiplied without control, blocked the sunlight from reaching the corals, and the entire reef changed irreversibly – from a coral reef to an algae field.

Using a remote-controlled submarine, my colleagues and I discovered five new species of black corals living as deep as 2,500 feet (760 meters) below the surface in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral ...

These creatures – jet black, round-bodied and with long spikes – may be better known for their painful stings. But they are also a crucial part of the ecological system of these coral reefs.