Researchers from the Schmidt Oceanographic Institution in California, USA, have succeeded in discovering an amazing new type of coral, growing over a meter tall and resembling a golden tree, in the Pacific Ocean.
Hot Topics
This discovery, announced in the journal ZooKeys, came about while the institute’s scientists were exploring seamounts off the coast of Costa Rica in 2019 and 2023, when they stumbled upon the coral colonies.
It wasn't just the coral that amazed the researchers; the rocky outcrops on which these bright yellow, tree-like shapes grew were surrounded by thousands of fragile starfish, marine animals with a rounded central body and five slender arms, creating a magical scene of golden trees and stars.
This new coral differs genetically and morphologically from other coral species so greatly that researchers had to invent a completely new genus to classify it, "Lorink," derived from the word "Laurinkwy," which means "golden tree" in the "Kuinya" language, a language invented by J.R.R. Tolkien for his novels "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Silmarillion."
This species was named "Lorink Elenia" after the fragile star fields surrounding the coral colonies. "Elenia" means "star-like" or "of the stars" in the Kuinia language.
Why was it classified as a new species?
“I first saw the Eight Coral Garden in 2019 and was impressed by the beauty of the landscape, which later inspired the name chosen for this species,” says Odaleska Bredi, the lead researcher on the study from the University of Costa Rica.
that determining the location of this coral in the coral family tree was extremely difficult. “At first I thought that this species belonged to a known family and genus, but after the initial morphological analysis, I realized that it was completely different, and I could not match it with the known classifications.”
"In 2023, we collected more samples, and thanks to the comprehensive molecular analyses carried out by my colleagues Cathy McFadden, Catalina Murillo, and Andrea Quattrini, we were able to determine the scientific classification of this amazing species in one of the most mysterious locations," she continues.
Odaleska notes that "due to the logistical challenges of accessing deep-sea environments and the high costs of oceanographic expeditions, underwater formations—such as the seamounts in Costa Rica—remain largely unexplored, but that doesn't mean life doesn't thrive in these harsh places."
She adds that "the discovery of the Lorenk Elena colony is yet another reminder of the importance of the deep ocean to a wide range of living organisms."
Tags:
science
