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March 7, 2021: Orange Lophelia Coral

This rare sighting of orange Lophelia pertusa was seen at 500 meters (1,640 feet) depth at Many Mounds on the West Florida slope during the 2017 Southeast Deep Coral Initiative: Exploring Deep-Sea Coral Ecosystems off the Southeast U.S. expedition.

Image courtesy of NOAA Southeast Deep Coral Initiative and Pelagic Research Services. Download larger version (jpg, 10.7 MB).

This rare sighting of orange Lophelia pertusa was seen at 500 meters (1,640 feet) depth at Many Mounds on the West Florida slope during the 2017 Southeast Deep Coral Initiative: Exploring Deep-Sea Coral Ecosystems off the Southeast U.S. expedition. The vast majority of L. pertusa in North American waters are stark white, like the colony to the right in this image.

From: ‘Many Mounds’ Astounds.