Vast Black Coral Forest Found

The narrow stretch of water known as the Strait of Messina hides the world's largest forest of black coral, according to a new survey of the Mediterranean sea bed.

Using an underwater robot, marine biologists found almost 30,000 colonies of Antipathella subpinnata coral at a depth of between 180 and 328 feet.

The coral was found near the town of Scilla, off the coast Calabria in southern Italy.

Images taken by the robot showed a seascape completely dominated by spectacular tree-like colonies of black coral, some more than 3 feet high. This is the first time these rare species have been observed in their natural habitat.

A living organism that grows like a plant in deep sea waters, black coral derives its scientific name from the Greek words "anti," for against, and "pathos," for disease. Indeed, black coral amulets were once believed to protect against diseases and evil spirits.

The most highly sought after of all coral species for their use in jewelry, all black corals are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which records species at risk of extinction if trade is not controlled.

Original article here.