Stunning Bubblegum Coral Spotted On The Deepest Depths Of Marianas Region (Video)

The NOAA Ocean Explorer team spotted a stunning bubblegum coral during their expedition in the Marianas region of the northwest of the Pacific Ocean. They filmed the beautiful bubblegum coral while exploring the Marianas at the depths of 1,700 feet on June 27, 2016.

Wonderful Things: The Bubblegum Coral and the Whatever [Video] https://t.co/CUqTKm8zuZ

— Phillip Leech (@phil0leech) November 12, 2016

Okeanos Explorer captured the bubblegum coral. The video showed a vibrant red coral with some kind of unidentified green algae attached to the coral. The researchers said that it could be sponge or algae that were caught on the coral, according to Gizmodo.

The team also spotted a worm-like brittle star that is probably an ophiuroid attached tightly to the coral. Crabs and other unusual creatures were also seen around the coral. A marine scientist stated that it is a little oasis for all kinds of life.

Bubblegum coral or also referred to as Paragorgia arborea belongs to a coral family Paragorgiidae. It is often found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and grows in depths between 200 meters and 1,300 meters at temperatures between 2 degrees Celsius and 8 degrees Celsius.

The bubblegum coral could grow to heights of 6 meters (20 feet). They are bright red, white, pink or orange in color in a branching and fan-shaped structure. They also have the central trunk with many branches. Its name bubblegum coral is derived from its rounded branch tips.

Meanwhile, Mariana islands or also known as the Marianas are the northernmost islands of a bigger island group called Micronesia. They extend from Guam, which is a U.S. territory to near Japan. They consist of two subgroups, namely, a group of 10 volcanic main islands and a southern group of five coralline limestone islands that include Tinian, Rota, Aguijan, Guam and Saipan. The coral reefs grow in the coasts of the southern isles.