Oceana’s expedition to the southeast Spanish coast, in the Almeria region, had an unexpected outcome. Using a submarine robot, we recorded more than 50 species along the Abubacer ridge, but one of them in particular, made quite an impression: an unidentified black coral.

It could be a species new to science and, at the moment, an investigation is underway to find out for sure if it is.

The pictures above show the coral in its habitat and as a sample on board the Oceana Ranger.

All the species documented in Almeria, and more from different regions of the country, are now part of a list submitted to the Spanish government for the Spanish Marine Habitats and Species Inventory.