Red coral

Corallium rubrum · Red coral is a marine coral with a bright red skeleton, found mainly in the Mediterranean Sea on dark rocky seabeds, in caves and in the depths.

Also called Mediterranean red coral.

Red coral
Photo: RamiAubourg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Red coral
Photo: Géry PARENT, CC BY-SA 3.0
Red coral
Photo: Waielbi, CC BY-SA 3.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCnidaria
ClassAnthozoa
OrderScleralcyonacea
FamilyCoralliidae
GenusCorallium
SpeciesCorallium rubrum

Where it lives

Shady rock walls and caves from Italy, France and Spain to Portugal and Morocco.

Fun facts

  • Red coral looks like a small leafless bush and can grow up to a meter tall.
  • The coral's red color comes from carotenoid pigments in a skeleton made of tiny, hard calcium carbonate spikes.
  • A living red coral is covered in soft bright red tissue, with lots of white polyps that can pull back in.
  • Ancient Romans hung branches of red coral around children's necks, believing it would protect them from danger.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).