Cold Water Coral Reef

Reefs of the hard, cold water coral Lophelia pertusa in association with other hard corals (e.g. Madrepora oculata and Solenosmilia variabilis) are found in water between 130 and 2,000m depths, and can cover extensive areas of the sea bed up to several kilometres long and standing more than 20m high. The oldest of these reefs are estimated to be around 8,000 years old.