The waters of the Papahānaumokuākea marine park near Hawaii have yielded seven new species of deep sea coral.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, six of these may be new genera, “a remarkable feat given the broad classification a genus represents” (press release). The corals, and a plethora of other marine treats, were discovered by researchers from the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory, who piloted the Pisces V mini-sub to depths of 1,000 metres in Papahānaumokuākea in November 2007.

“These discoveries are important, because deep-sea corals support diverse seafloor ecosystems and also because these corals may be among the first marine organisms to be affected by ocean acidification,” said Richard Spinrad, NOAA’s assistant administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. “Deep-sea bamboo corals also produce growth rings much as trees do, and can provide a much-needed view of how deep ocean conditions change through time.”

Image: five-foot tall yellow bamboo coral / Hawaii Deep-Sea Coral Expedition 2007/NOAA