Black coral

Photo: Rino · CC BY-NC

Black coral colonies are among the oldest living organisms on the Azorean seabed, with some individuals dating back centuries. Despite the name, living black coral polyps are white or yellow and the characteristic black colour is revealed only when the organic tissue is stripped away from the skeleton. They are protected throughout the Azores EEZ, and their presence as a dominant structural species at Baixo do Sul indicates the site has been free of trawling impact for at least several decades.