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Description
A black coral growing on a vertical wall. Black corals are named for the colorof their skeleton, while their tissues take on vibrant hues ranging from red toyellow or white. One family of black corals, Leiopathes, has been found tosurvive over 4,000 years, making them among the longest-lived organisms on theplanet. (Image credit: Deepwater Canyons 2013 -Pathways to the Abyss, NOAA-OER/BOEM/USGS)