Scientists have discovered a unique deep-sea coral and given it the name Iridogorgia Chewbacca.
About Iridogorgia Chewbacca:
- It is a new deep-sea coral species of genus Iridogorgia.
- It is named after the furry Star Wars fictional character Chewbacca because of its hairy-looking branches.
- Features of Iridogorgia Chewbacca:
- The species belongs to the genus Iridogorgia, a group of deep-sea corals with long, spiraling structures.
- It is known for its long, flexible branches and shiny surface.
- Despite its large size and striking appearance, I. chewbacca usually occurs alone, scattered across deep-sea rocky bottoms.
What are Corals?
- Corals are essentially animals, which are sessile, meaning they permanently attach themselves to the ocean floor.
- Corals share a symbiotic relationship with single-celled algae called zooxanthellae.
- The algae provide the coral with food and nutrients, which they make through photosynthesis, using the sun’s light.
- They use their tiny tentacle-like hands to catch food from the water and sweep into their mouth.
- Each individual coral animal is known as a polyp and it lives in groups of hundreds to thousands of genetically identical polyps that form a ‘colony’.