With a circumference of 183 meters, the gigantic multicolored organism is a complex network of individual coral polyps that have grown between 300 and 500 years.
The largest coral in the world PHOTO: X
The world’s largest known coral visible from space has been discovered in the waters of the Solomon Islands. With a circumference of 183 meters, the gigantic multicolored organism is a complex network of individual coral polyps that have grown between 300 and 500 years.
The spreading coral was discovered in the region of the Western Pacific known as the “the coral triangle” by scientists belonging to the National Geographic Pristine Seas team during an expedition to the Solomon Islands, according to theguardian.com.
Mostly brown with accents of yellow, blue and vivid red, the Pavona clavus coral is a haven for a panoply of marine species including fish, crabs and shrimp.
“Just when we think there is nothing left to discover on planet Earth, we find a massive coral made up of nearly 1 billion tiny polyps, pulsing with life and color,” said marine ecologist Enric Sala, explorer-in-residence for National Geographic and founder of Pristine Seas. “This is a significant scientific discovery, like finding the tallest tree in the world. But there are reasons for concern. Despite its remote location, this coral is not immune to global warming and other human threats.”
Unlike a coral reef, which is a network of several coral colonies, this is a self-contained coral that has grown continuously from larval polyps that have settled on the sea floor and multiplied into millions of other genetically identical polyps over the centuries.
When the team initially spotted the living organism, which is 34 meters wide, 32 meters long and more than 5 meters high, they thought it might be a wreck. The expedition’s underwater cinematographer dived more than 12 meters to the coral and found it to be a Pavona clavus. Despite its size, this individual coral had never been documented, with local fishermen likely mistaking it for a boulder over the years.
Ronnie Posala, Fisheries Officer for the Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries, said: “For the people of the Solomon Islands, this discovery of mega corals is monumental. It reinforces the importance of our ocean, which sustains our communities, traditions and future. Such discoveries remind us of our duty to protect these natural wonders, not only for their ecological value, but also for the livelihoods and cultural identity they provide.”
Eric Brown, coral researcher for the Pristine Seas Expedition, identified and measured the previous record-holding coral located in American Samoa. “While nearby shallow reefs have been degraded by warmer seas, seeing this large oasis of healthy coral in slightly deeper waters is a ray of hope”he stated.
