New black coral species found, longest-living sea creature

HONOLULU (AP) - A new species of deep-water black coral has been found in the Hawaiian Islands and scientists believe it is the longest-lived marine organism known to date. Hawaii News Now reports (http://bit.ly/1JwfYe4 ) that scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History have found the species can live more than 4,000 years at depths of 1,000 to 1,600 feet. The new species has been dubbed Leiopathes annosa for the Latin word meaning “long lived.” It was previously misidentified as one from the Mediterranean Sea, but was determined to be a distinct. Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/1/new-black-coral-species-found-longest-living-sea-c/#ixzz3evj4bjNB