A large white coral reef containing important species and fossil traces has been discovered at a depth of more than 500 metres in the Gulf of Naples, in a rare discovery for the Mediterranean, the Italian Research Council (CNR) said recently. Known as the “rainforests of the sea”, coral reefs are of great interest to sea scientists as they are among the richest marine ecosystems, hosting millions of species. They play a vital role sustaining marine life, but are under threat. The reef off Naples was found using a remotely operated submarine in the Dohrn Canyon, a deep marine valley just off the coastline of the southern Italian city, by an EU-funded sea research mission.

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