Antipathella wollastoni (Black coral)
Orange to brown conifer tree-like structures with a black skeleton.
Rarely seen because it normally grows in deep water at depths well below 40 meters. It is considered an endangered species.
Northern Atlantic ocean. Black coral grows on steep dropoffs or overhangs in a depth range of 40-400 meters.
Both sexual and asexual. Sexual reproduction by releasing sperm and eggs in coral larvae, which float on the currents to colonize new areas. The polyp then reproduces asexually to form new polyps, and grow in size.
Single colonies can grow up to 150cm.
Black coral is a filter feeder, and sifts out plankton in the current
Black coral provides a habitat for a large array of copepods, brittle stars, shrimp and crabs, and hence are an important species. They can sting!
