The world’s largest known coral discovered in the Solomon Islands | Coral

The world’s largest known coral, visible from space, has been discovered in the waters of the Solomon Islands.

Measuring 183 meters in circumference, the giant multicolored organism is an intricate network of individual coral polyps that have been growing for between 300 and 500 years.

The extended coral was discovered in the region of the western Pacific Ocean known as the “Coral Triangle” by researchers belonging to National Geographic pristine seas team under one expedition to the Solomon Islands.

Mostly brown, with highlights of vibrant yellows, blues and reds, the Pavona clavus Corals are a haven for a wide variety of marine species, including fish, crabs and shrimps.

“Just when we think there is nothing left to discover on planet Earth, we find a massive coral made of nearly 1 billion tiny polyps, pulsating with life and color,” said the marine ecologist. Enrique Salaexplorer for National Geographic and founder of Pristine Seas. “This is a significant scientific discovery, like finding the world’s tallest tree. But there are reasons for concern. Despite its remoteness, this coral is not safe from global warming and other human threats.”

Unlike a coral reef, which is a network of many coral colonies, this is an independent coral that has grown continuously from polyps derived from larvae that settled on the sea floor and multiplied into millions of other genetically identical polyps over centuries.

When the team first spotted the living organism, which is 34 meters wide, 32 meters long and more than 5 meters high, they thought it might be a shipwreck. The expedition’s underwater cinematographer dived more than 12 meters down to the coral and discovered that it was a Pavona clavus. Despite its size, this individual coral had never been documented and local fishermen may have mistaken 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 megacoral discovery is monumental. It reinforces the importance of our seas which sustain our communities, traditions and future. Such discoveries remind us of our duty to protect these natural wonders, not only for their ecological value, but for their livelihoods and cultural identity.”

Eric Brown, coral scientist for the Pristine Seas expedition, identified and measured the previous record-holding corallocated in American Samoa. “While the nearby shallow reefs were deteriorating due to warmer seas, this is a beacon of hope,” he said.