A new species of lace coral discovered in Brazil

In spite of its resemblance with the Caribbean one, the pink lace coral of the Brazilian coasts is so different genetically that it should be considered as a new species. The method of reproduction of the lace coral limits the movement of the larvae and isolates the populations until the appearance of new species.

This discovery is the result of a collaboration between Brazilian and Colombian researchers and Flavia Nunes (LEBCO).
 

You can find more information in the two articles on the lace corals Stylaster roseus and Stylaster blatteus published in November in the journal Coral Reefs and December 2022 on the blog The Conversation