Scientists map one of the world's largest rose coral colonies

Researchers identified one of the world's largest known coral colonies along the outer reef of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an Australian territory.

The rose coral (Pachyseris) colony stretches 1.56 kilometers in length and sits on the reef slope at depths between 14 and 65 meters. Dr. JP Hobbs from Adelaide University led a team including scientists from the Queensland Museum and James Cook University to map the formation.

While a local dive operator first noticed the coral over 30 years ago, the team spent months conducting 12 dives to trace the full extent of the colony. They used GPS to mark their progress between dives to ensure they covered the entire area. The colony has an average width of 36.5 meters and covers more than 56,940 square meters.

Researchers are currently using genetic testing to determine if the formation is a single giant organism or multiple colonies that fused together over time. This discovery provides new information about marine environments in remote parts of Australia.