Black Coral

Photo: Hexacorallians of the World · CC BY-NC-SA

Mature black coral bushes form substantial colonies on the shaded rock faces below 15 meters in the inlet, their dark branching skeletons providing structure for dozens of associated species including gobies, brittle stars, and arrow crabs. Black corals are among the slowest-growing cnidarians in the Atlantic, with large specimens representing centuries of growth, which makes their abundance at Mamanguá a testament to the site's long-term protection from destructive fishing methods. They are a CITES Appendix II listed species globally.