A photo of “Big Momma” in American Samoa, the largest coral before the discovery of the coral in Solomon Islands. Courtesy of National Marine Sanctuaries via Wikimedia Commons
Have you ever heard someone say that we know less about the ocean than we do about space? A recent discovery by a team of researchers from National Geographic Society proved the plausibility of this idea.
The Pristine Seas team was exploring the seas surrounding Solomon Islands, which are located off the shore of Papua New Guinea in Oceania, when they spotted what they thought was a shipwreck. Upon further inspection, they realized that the shadowy figure under the waves was a coral community — the largest “mega coral” in the world.
The scientists set to work characterizing their new discovery. To reach the coral, they dove 42 feet underwater. They used manual measuring tools and swam along the coral to ascertain its size. Measuring larger than a blue whale, the coral is 112 by 105 feet and 16 feet tall. From its size, scientists estimate that it is likely around 300 years old. It can actually be seen from space, though it was likely assumed to be a rock until the National Geographic divers dove down to learn more.
What they found was almost a billion individual Pavona clavus, a hard coral that is named after the clavicle because it looks just like it. The discovered coral was not a reef, which typically would have multiple species of coral; this formation just had one, but its size qualifies it as a “mega coral.” Pavona clavus is a tan color, with some bright yellows and reds mixed in. The species prefers tidal areas. Other non-coral species live with the Pavona as well, like shrimp and crabs that benefit from the ecosystem it creates.
Corals are communal by nature and are so interconnected that this mega coral could actually be considered to be one giant organism made of a billion little parts. The polyps communicate with each other through chemical signals, allowing them to share information and grow. Typically, coral reefs grow in almost an ice-cream scoop formation, but this reef is much flatter, causing it to spread wider. This also may account for why nobody noticed it was there, since it does not have a striking profile.
National Geographic raised the question: When so many corals are suffering from climate change, pollution, and other damaging impacts of humans on our oceans, how has this coral survived with no evidence of struggle? They believe that the reef’s location affords it consistently cooler temperatures and a slope and shelf which are beneficial to its growth.
The island community surrounding the newly found reef has welcomed it, hoping that its clear environmental significance will help garner more national protection for their local oceans, something they have been searching for for some time. The Pristine Seas team’s mission prior to the discovery of the coral was to document the incredible biodiversity of the Solomon Island area — the crew also included filmmakers and cinematographers who were collecting footage for National Geographic.
This new and exciting discovery serves to underscore the amazing natural world that exists in the oceans, as well as its growing need for our protection and support.