Black coral
Antipathes caribbeana
Sighting evidence at Scotts Head Pinnacle, Dominica
Caribbean black coral is a slow-growing colonial organism that can live for centuries and forms the structural backbone of deep mesophotic communities. Despite its name the living tissue is dark brown to olive; the skeleton turns black only after death. Dominica's black coral forests at Scotts Head are protected within the marine reserve and represent some of the most intact colonies remaining in the eastern Caribbean.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Black coral is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.