In mid-October, scientists on the National Geographic Pristine Seas team in the Soloman Islands stumbled upon what, at first glance, looked like a very big rock under the sea. Given its immense size, they originally thought it could be remnants of a shipwreck. But when they got closer, it turned out to be nothing close to what they imagined.
A mega coral. As it turns out, the scientists had found the world’s largest coral, which had never been documented before. In fact, according to National Geographic, locals in the Soloman Islands didn’t even know it was there.
Measuring 111 feet wide (34 meters), 104 feet long (32 meters), and 18 feet high (5.5 meters), the coral is longer than the planet’s biggest animal, the blue whale. For those of you who don’t know a lot of blue whales, the mega coral is the size of two basketball courts or five tennis courts. It has a circumference of 600 foot (183 meters).
“Just when we think there is nothing left to discover on planet earth, we find a massive coral made of nearly one billion little polyps, pulsing with life and color,” Enric Sala, the founder of Pristine Seas, said in a statement. “This is a significant scientific discovery, like finding the world’s tallest tree.”
Pavona clavus. Specifically, the coral is a species known as Pavona clavus, estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old. In general, corals are made up of small, individual animals called polyps, which resemble upside down jellyfish. They have soft bodies shaped like tubes with little tentacles at the top that help them catch food.
The coral found by the scientists—not to be confused with a coral reef, which is a network of coral colonies—is a standalone specimen with one billion polyps. As explained by National Geographic, the polps forming this enormous coral come from larvae on the seafloor and multiplied into additional genetically identical polyps over time.
The role of corals and coral reefs. Corals are extremely important to the planet, providing diverse and valuable ecosystems. In fact, corals reefs provide home, shelter, and breeding grounds for a variety of species, including crabs and shrimp. They’re home to more than 4,000 species of fish and other marine life, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Furthermore, while coral reefs cover only 1% of the oceans, they provide a habitat for at least 25% of marine life.
Coral reefs also provide value to humans when it comes to commercial and recreational fishing. More than half of U.S. fisheries species depend on them during some part of their life. NOAA estimates that they provide $100 million in value to U.S. fisheries.
In addition, coral reefs also serve as a natural buffer during storms, reducing the impact to local communities. They also support jobs in tourism, with many people eager to visit coral reefs, and play a key role in medicine.
The danger to corals. While discovering the world’s biggest coral is exciting, Sala, the founder of Pristine Seas, warns that the finding is also cause for alarm
“Despite its remote location, this coral is not safe from global warming and other human threats,” he said.
When it comes to climate change, corals are threatened by carbon dioxide in particular. As carbon dioxide, the main cause of climate change, increases, it’s absorbed by the oceans. This causes oceans to become more acidic, which negatively affects many marine animals. In the case of corals, it affects their ability to grow and stay healthy.
Images | National Geographic
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