Orange Cup Coral

Photo: Io/Es · CC BY-NC

The cave ceilings at Cap Blanc glow under dive torch illumination with dense clusters of orange cup coral, one of the Mediterranean's most visually striking invertebrates. Unlike tropical corals, these colonial animals do not require sunlight and thrive in the permanent darkness of the cave interior. Their vivid orange colour and tendency to carpet entire ceilings creates a scene unlike anything else in western Mediterranean diving.