Mysterious white coral reef discovered under the Mediterranean Sea

Scientists have discovered a massive coral structure more than 500m deep off the coast of Naples, containing ancient fossils and many rare species of Mediterranean creatures.

Photo: Independent

The Italian National Research Council (CNR) announced on October 10th that scientists have discovered a giant white coral reef at a depth of over 500 meters in the Bay of Naples (Napoli), containing many important species of organisms and ancient fossil remains – a discovery considered rare for the Mediterranean Sea.

Coral reefs are known as the "rainforests of the ocean" because they are one of the richest marine ecosystems, supporting millions of species and playing a vital role in maintaining the ocean's biological balance. However, coral reefs are seriously threatened by climate change and environmental pollution.

According to CNR, the coral reef was discovered in the Dohrn Gorge – a deep-sea valley off the coast of Naples – as part of a marine research program funded by the European Union (EU).

"Expeditions have revealed the existence of massive structures more than 2 meters wide, distributed along a sheer cliff over 80 meters high," CNR stated.

These structures are formed by deep-water hard corals, often called white corals due to their lack of pigmentation, including two species, Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata.

In addition, the reef also contains black coral, solitary coral, sponges, and many other species of high ecological value, alongside fossilized oysters and ancient corals – described by CNR as "true geological evidence of the distant past".

Oceanographer Giorgio Castellan, the lead researcher, emphasized: "This is a rare discovery in Italian waters. Biological structures of this scale have never been recorded in the Dohrn Canyon, and are also rarely seen in other areas of the Mediterranean."

According to Castellan, this discovery not only opens a new door to better understanding the ecological role of deep-sea coral reefs, but also makes a significant contribution to conservation and restoration efforts in the context of rapidly declining coral reefs globally.

VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phat-hien-ran-san-ho-trang-bi-an-duoi-dia-trung-hai-20251011170333898.htm