New species of coral discovered off Marin County coast

Friday, May 17, 2019
MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Scientists exploring the deep ocean waters off the Marin County coast have discovered a new species.

It's a yellow coral just three inches tall, that's been named Chromoplexaura cordellbankensis.
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The species of coral was first spotted in 2004 near Point Reyes National Seashore. But it was left untouched.

Last year, a research team with the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco found it again and brought it up to the surface.

Scientists put it under a microscope and found it was different from any other coral species.
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The discovery was published this week in the Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences.

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