Coral Lab
@corallab.bsky.social
An independent community for students, academics, and professionals passionate about corals. Not affiliated with any institution or organization.
Pinned
A global coral phylogeny reveals resilience and vulnerability through deep time - Nature
The most recent common ancestor of the stony coral Scleractinia dates to about 460 million years ago and was probably a solitary, heterotrophic and free-living organism.
doi.org
New Nature paper!
Vaga et al. (2025) reconstruct a time-calibrated phylogeny of stony (scleractinian) corals, which suggests that some could be resilient to climate change.
Congrats @claudiavaga.bsky.social
Link to paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Vaga et al. (2025) reconstruct a time-calibrated phylogeny of stony (scleractinian) corals, which suggests that some could be resilient to climate change.
Congrats @claudiavaga.bsky.social
Link to paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
New Nature paper!
Vaga et al. (2025) reconstruct a time-calibrated phylogeny of stony (scleractinian) corals, which suggests that some could be resilient to climate change.
Congrats @claudiavaga.bsky.social
Link to paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Vaga et al. (2025) reconstruct a time-calibrated phylogeny of stony (scleractinian) corals, which suggests that some could be resilient to climate change.
Congrats @claudiavaga.bsky.social
Link to paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
A global coral phylogeny reveals resilience and vulnerability through deep time - Nature
The most recent common ancestor of the stony coral Scleractinia dates to about 460 million years ago and was probably a solitary, heterotrophic and free-living organism.
doi.org
October 23, 2025 at 4:46 PM
New Nature paper!
Vaga et al. (2025) reconstruct a time-calibrated phylogeny of stony (scleractinian) corals, which suggests that some could be resilient to climate change.
Congrats @claudiavaga.bsky.social
Link to paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Vaga et al. (2025) reconstruct a time-calibrated phylogeny of stony (scleractinian) corals, which suggests that some could be resilient to climate change.
Congrats @claudiavaga.bsky.social
Link to paper: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Reposted by Coral Lab
🚨 Fossilized Black Corals 🚨 Includes two transitional species too! Come learn about the evolutionary trend toward regularity in the axial skeleton from the Ordovician to modern day antipatharians (includes reduced ridges and a longitudinal fusion of networks). www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Unveiling the early evolution of black corals - Communications Biology
The authors describe two transitional species of Sterictopathes from the Middle Ordovician of Shaanxi, China, bridging the fossil gaps and thereby elevating the genus Sterictopathes to a new family, S...
www.nature.com
April 7, 2025 at 9:15 PM
🚨 Fossilized Black Corals 🚨 Includes two transitional species too! Come learn about the evolutionary trend toward regularity in the axial skeleton from the Ordovician to modern day antipatharians (includes reduced ridges and a longitudinal fusion of networks). www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Reposted by Coral Lab
Appropros for #taxonomistappreciation day a NEW video by GFOE's Art Howard and Caitlin Bailey- the Power of Collections- a feature on #okeanos museum collections featuring myself, Martha Nizinski, Andrea Quattrini (@corallab.bsky.social) and @agcollins.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=STtg...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=STtg...
March 19, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Appropros for #taxonomistappreciation day a NEW video by GFOE's Art Howard and Caitlin Bailey- the Power of Collections- a feature on #okeanos museum collections featuring myself, Martha Nizinski, Andrea Quattrini (@corallab.bsky.social) and @agcollins.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=STtg...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=STtg...
Reposted by Coral Lab
So, there they are, the @marinespecies.bsky.social top-ten marine species of 2024!
Do you have a favorite?
marinespecies.org/worms-top-te...
#toptenmarinespecies #taxonomistappreciationday #OceanDecade #GenOcean #marinespecies
Do you have a favorite?
marinespecies.org/worms-top-te...
#toptenmarinespecies #taxonomistappreciationday #OceanDecade #GenOcean #marinespecies
March 19, 2025 at 12:27 AM
So, there they are, the @marinespecies.bsky.social top-ten marine species of 2024!
Do you have a favorite?
marinespecies.org/worms-top-te...
#toptenmarinespecies #taxonomistappreciationday #OceanDecade #GenOcean #marinespecies
Do you have a favorite?
marinespecies.org/worms-top-te...
#toptenmarinespecies #taxonomistappreciationday #OceanDecade #GenOcean #marinespecies
Two new species described from the Coral Lab this week!
𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢 Horowitz & Barajas, 2025
zookeys.pensoft.net/article/1369...
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘮𝘤𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘦 Quattrini, Morrissey, & McCartin, 2025
mapress.com/zt/article/v...
𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢 Horowitz & Barajas, 2025
zookeys.pensoft.net/article/1369...
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘮𝘤𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘦 Quattrini, Morrissey, & McCartin, 2025
mapress.com/zt/article/v...
a man says it 's a great discovery in front of an american flag
ALT: a man says it 's a great discovery in front of an american flag
media.tenor.com
March 14, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Two new species described from the Coral Lab this week!
𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢 Horowitz & Barajas, 2025
zookeys.pensoft.net/article/1369...
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘮𝘤𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘦 Quattrini, Morrissey, & McCartin, 2025
mapress.com/zt/article/v...
𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢 Horowitz & Barajas, 2025
zookeys.pensoft.net/article/1369...
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘮𝘤𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘦 Quattrini, Morrissey, & McCartin, 2025
mapress.com/zt/article/v...
Reposted by Coral Lab
This is really cool. I’ve seen some of the similar mesopelagic fish carbon work - great to see equivalent estimates now for cephalopods!
Squid die when they reproduce. We estimate that sinking squid carcasses locks away 11-12 Mt carbon/year in the deep oceans. Increasing squid fisheries interrupts this sequestration and sends it to our dinner plates - where it is respired to the atmosphere. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
February 13, 2025 at 7:18 PM
This is really cool. I’ve seen some of the similar mesopelagic fish carbon work - great to see equivalent estimates now for cephalopods!
Reposted by Coral Lab
#CrabAZ never ignores memes. M is for Macrocheira.
This is both the largest arthropod alive (3.8 m or 12 ft leg span, only males are this extreme) and the only living species in its family. Mainly found in Japanese waters up to 600 m depth.
(Yes we know it's Thursday, sorry)
🦀🧪🦑
This is both the largest arthropod alive (3.8 m or 12 ft leg span, only males are this extreme) and the only living species in its family. Mainly found in Japanese waters up to 600 m depth.
(Yes we know it's Thursday, sorry)
🦀🧪🦑
February 13, 2025 at 12:25 PM
#CrabAZ never ignores memes. M is for Macrocheira.
This is both the largest arthropod alive (3.8 m or 12 ft leg span, only males are this extreme) and the only living species in its family. Mainly found in Japanese waters up to 600 m depth.
(Yes we know it's Thursday, sorry)
🦀🧪🦑
This is both the largest arthropod alive (3.8 m or 12 ft leg span, only males are this extreme) and the only living species in its family. Mainly found in Japanese waters up to 600 m depth.
(Yes we know it's Thursday, sorry)
🦀🧪🦑
Reposted by Coral Lab
"Funding for taxonomy makes sure that existing collections of undescribed specimens are properly studied, cataloged, and made accessible to researchers world wide" - Dr Jini Jacob
Meet Dr Jacob, currently documenting over 60 new nematode species 👇
oceancensus.org/women-in-sci...
Meet Dr Jacob, currently documenting over 60 new nematode species 👇
oceancensus.org/women-in-sci...
February 14, 2025 at 11:11 AM
"Funding for taxonomy makes sure that existing collections of undescribed specimens are properly studied, cataloged, and made accessible to researchers world wide" - Dr Jini Jacob
Meet Dr Jacob, currently documenting over 60 new nematode species 👇
oceancensus.org/women-in-sci...
Meet Dr Jacob, currently documenting over 60 new nematode species 👇
oceancensus.org/women-in-sci...
Reposted by Coral Lab
It’s not #WormWednesday but check out those beautiful drawings of echiurians and sipunculans drawn by Ikeda, from 1904!! Also just saying « I don’t know » was done so elegantly. Reading old taxonomy papers is so so cool!!
February 14, 2025 at 9:37 AM
It’s not #WormWednesday but check out those beautiful drawings of echiurians and sipunculans drawn by Ikeda, from 1904!! Also just saying « I don’t know » was done so elegantly. Reading old taxonomy papers is so so cool!!
Reposted by Coral Lab
💙 Finding "the one" is difficult, but in the dark, deep ocean, it’s even harder.
From the fascinating relationships of anglerfish to the use of bioluminescence to attract mates, the deep ocean holds some unique love stories. 💙
#ValentinesDay
From the fascinating relationships of anglerfish to the use of bioluminescence to attract mates, the deep ocean holds some unique love stories. 💙
#ValentinesDay
February 14, 2025 at 10:57 AM
💙 Finding "the one" is difficult, but in the dark, deep ocean, it’s even harder.
From the fascinating relationships of anglerfish to the use of bioluminescence to attract mates, the deep ocean holds some unique love stories. 💙
#ValentinesDay
From the fascinating relationships of anglerfish to the use of bioluminescence to attract mates, the deep ocean holds some unique love stories. 💙
#ValentinesDay
Reposted by Coral Lab
Happy #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience! 🌊 At the MBA, we’re proud of our diverse team of female scientists whose groundbreaking research is shaping the future of our ocean.
Dive into our latest update to explore the journeys & career advice of our female Research Fellows ➡️ buff.ly/3WYFjYK
Dive into our latest update to explore the journeys & career advice of our female Research Fellows ➡️ buff.ly/3WYFjYK
February 11, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Happy #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience! 🌊 At the MBA, we’re proud of our diverse team of female scientists whose groundbreaking research is shaping the future of our ocean.
Dive into our latest update to explore the journeys & career advice of our female Research Fellows ➡️ buff.ly/3WYFjYK
Dive into our latest update to explore the journeys & career advice of our female Research Fellows ➡️ buff.ly/3WYFjYK
Reposted by Coral Lab
Today, on #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience, we proudly celebrate the incredible women pushing the boundaries of ocean science and deep-sea exploration. ODL is a female-founded and led organization with a team of 80% women, and we work to make ocean exploration more accessible to all.
February 11, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Today, on #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience, we proudly celebrate the incredible women pushing the boundaries of ocean science and deep-sea exploration. ODL is a female-founded and led organization with a team of 80% women, and we work to make ocean exploration more accessible to all.
Reposted by Coral Lab
Deep sea mystery: does anyone know what this weblike structure is that we say on the deep sea corals today during the ROV dive? What forms it? 🌊🪸🐟🦀🦑
February 9, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Deep sea mystery: does anyone know what this weblike structure is that we say on the deep sea corals today during the ROV dive? What forms it? 🌊🪸🐟🦀🦑
Reposted by Coral Lab
I'm Eryn and I will be adding Ecologists and Evolutionary Biologists to the science feed. Please respond below with evidence that you are an Eco/Evol scientist to be added to the feed. This moderation will be done in the same way as the general science feed 🧪.
bsky.app/profile/did:...
bsky.app/profile/did:...
January 24, 2024 at 7:18 PM
I'm Eryn and I will be adding Ecologists and Evolutionary Biologists to the science feed. Please respond below with evidence that you are an Eco/Evol scientist to be added to the feed. This moderation will be done in the same way as the general science feed 🧪.
bsky.app/profile/did:...
bsky.app/profile/did:...
Reposted by Coral Lab
This deep-sea polar worm looks like it can't decide if it's dressed for a glitzy party or a gruesome massacre.
www.livescience.com/animals/anta...
www.livescience.com/animals/anta...
Antarctic scale worm: The glitzy frilly horror show with giant protruding jaws that look like Alien's xenomorph
This deep-sea polar worm looks like it can't decide if it's dressed for a glitzy party or a gruesome massacre.
www.livescience.com
February 9, 2025 at 1:46 PM
This deep-sea polar worm looks like it can't decide if it's dressed for a glitzy party or a gruesome massacre.
www.livescience.com/animals/anta...
www.livescience.com/animals/anta...
Congrats to Dr. Andrea Quattrini (Coral Curator, SI NMNH) for winning The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers!
This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists in the early stages of their independent research careers!
This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists in the early stages of their independent research careers!
January 16, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Congrats to Dr. Andrea Quattrini (Coral Curator, SI NMNH) for winning The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers!
This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists in the early stages of their independent research careers!
This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists in the early stages of their independent research careers!
Reposted by Coral Lab
Happy New Year from invertebrates that look like fireworks.
Credits
Jellyfish: OET/Nautilus Live
Anemone: Cathy Lewis
Feather duster worm: Pauline Walsh Jacobsen
Octopus: Schmidt Ocean Institute
Credits
Jellyfish: OET/Nautilus Live
Anemone: Cathy Lewis
Feather duster worm: Pauline Walsh Jacobsen
Octopus: Schmidt Ocean Institute
December 31, 2024 at 9:04 AM
Happy New Year from invertebrates that look like fireworks.
Credits
Jellyfish: OET/Nautilus Live
Anemone: Cathy Lewis
Feather duster worm: Pauline Walsh Jacobsen
Octopus: Schmidt Ocean Institute
Credits
Jellyfish: OET/Nautilus Live
Anemone: Cathy Lewis
Feather duster worm: Pauline Walsh Jacobsen
Octopus: Schmidt Ocean Institute
Reposted by Coral Lab
Colorful primnoid and zoanthid corals stand out in the deep sea. ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute / Smithsonian Magazine
December 31, 2024 at 9:49 AM
Colorful primnoid and zoanthid corals stand out in the deep sea. ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute / Smithsonian Magazine
Reposted by Coral Lab
Do you love the deep sea? I do! So happy to partner up with @dsbsoc.bsky.social, check out their page filled with fascinating info! #STEM #deepsea #writingcommunity #kidlit #amwriting #amreading #edusky
December 30, 2024 at 3:41 PM
Do you love the deep sea? I do! So happy to partner up with @dsbsoc.bsky.social, check out their page filled with fascinating info! #STEM #deepsea #writingcommunity #kidlit #amwriting #amreading #edusky
Reposted by Coral Lab
Life brings cool surprises, like this curious skate who DECIDED to turn around and explore ROV SuBastian 😊. Have a new year full of good surprises🍾 🌊!
This happened while we explored hydrothermal vents in the Pacific on my second expedition aboard R/V Falkor (too).
credits SOI🐙
@dsbsoc.bsky.social
This happened while we explored hydrothermal vents in the Pacific on my second expedition aboard R/V Falkor (too).
credits SOI🐙
@dsbsoc.bsky.social
December 30, 2024 at 6:24 PM
Life brings cool surprises, like this curious skate who DECIDED to turn around and explore ROV SuBastian 😊. Have a new year full of good surprises🍾 🌊!
This happened while we explored hydrothermal vents in the Pacific on my second expedition aboard R/V Falkor (too).
credits SOI🐙
@dsbsoc.bsky.social
This happened while we explored hydrothermal vents in the Pacific on my second expedition aboard R/V Falkor (too).
credits SOI🐙
@dsbsoc.bsky.social
Reposted by Coral Lab
Today is all about squat lobsters. These guys were found living on corals from Irelands deep sea! Soon we will work to assess the diversity of these animals in Irish waters including descriptions of new species! @corallab.bsky.social
December 18, 2024 at 12:07 AM
Today is all about squat lobsters. These guys were found living on corals from Irelands deep sea! Soon we will work to assess the diversity of these animals in Irish waters including descriptions of new species! @corallab.bsky.social
Reposted by Coral Lab
The DigIn team from @nhmla.bsky.social @almnh.bsky.social & @floridamuseum.bsky.social held a class at Friday Harbor Labs, WA to train the next generation of researchers in morphological & molecular approaches in invertebrate biodiversity & taxonomy. Photos: @exogone1.bsky.social
December 17, 2024 at 6:39 PM
The DigIn team from @nhmla.bsky.social @almnh.bsky.social & @floridamuseum.bsky.social held a class at Friday Harbor Labs, WA to train the next generation of researchers in morphological & molecular approaches in invertebrate biodiversity & taxonomy. Photos: @exogone1.bsky.social
We use scanning electron microscopes to image skeletal features, which are used to identify or describe new species.
This image shows branches of 𝘈𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴
(left) with a highlighted section showing the branch skeleton (middle) and skeletal spines (right). 🦑🧪🌊🐙
This image shows branches of 𝘈𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴
(left) with a highlighted section showing the branch skeleton (middle) and skeletal spines (right). 🦑🧪🌊🐙
December 17, 2024 at 7:03 PM
We use scanning electron microscopes to image skeletal features, which are used to identify or describe new species.
This image shows branches of 𝘈𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴
(left) with a highlighted section showing the branch skeleton (middle) and skeletal spines (right). 🦑🧪🌊🐙
This image shows branches of 𝘈𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴
(left) with a highlighted section showing the branch skeleton (middle) and skeletal spines (right). 🦑🧪🌊🐙
Reposted by Coral Lab
We’re moving from Slack to Discord! Thursday, 26 September 2024, during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at #17DSBS, is the official date for terminating the Slack workspace.
17DSBS participants will use Discord for online discussions during the meeting. Check your email for the Discord invite!🦑🧪🌊🐙
17DSBS participants will use Discord for online discussions during the meeting. Check your email for the Discord invite!🦑🧪🌊🐙
a white discord logo with a wink on its eye
ALT: a white discord logo with a wink on its eye
media.tenor.com
December 17, 2024 at 4:12 PM
We’re moving from Slack to Discord! Thursday, 26 September 2024, during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at #17DSBS, is the official date for terminating the Slack workspace.
17DSBS participants will use Discord for online discussions during the meeting. Check your email for the Discord invite!🦑🧪🌊🐙
17DSBS participants will use Discord for online discussions during the meeting. Check your email for the Discord invite!🦑🧪🌊🐙