An Australian scientist has discovered what could be the world’s rarest coral in the remote North Pacific Ocean. The unique Pacific elkhorn coral was found while conducting underwater surveys of Arno atoll in the Marshall Islands, by coral researcher Dr Zoe Richards of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoECRS).

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The first expedition to search for deep-sea hydrothermal vents along the Mid-Cayman Rise has turned up three distinct types of hydrothermal venting, reports an interdisciplinary team led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.  Hydrothermal activity occurs on spreading centers all around the world.  However, the diversity of the newly discovered vent types, their geologic settings and their relative geographic isolation make the Mid-Cayman Rise a unique environment in the world’s ocean.

Representing the most comprehensive and authoritative answer yet to one of humanity's most ancient questions -- "what lives in the sea?" Census of Marine Life scientists on August 2, 2010 released an inventory of species distribution and diversity in key global ocean areas.  

Scientists combined information collected over centuries with data obtained during the decade-long Census to create a roll call of species in 25 biologically representative regions -- from the Antarctic through temperate and tropical seas to the Arctic.

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Black coral (Antipathes dichotoma). Expedition Oceana Ranger 2010: Discovering seamounts. Seco de los Olivos, Almeria, Spain. June 2010. Photograph copyright Oceana

 Oceana has discovered large colonies of white coral and a wealth of associated fauna in Spanish waters of the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean), with greater abundance at depths between 300 and 500 meters. The finding took place during the 2010 expedition of the research catamaran, the Oceana Ranger, as part of LIFE+ INDEMARES project.

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The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) launched State of the Coast, a new Web site that provides coastal managers, planners and officials at all levels of government a snapshot of statistics, facts and graphics about America’s 95,000-miles of coastline.

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