Spiral whip coral off the coast of Indonesia

© WaterFrame/Alamy

Spiral whip coral off the coast of Indonesia

This diver is having a close encounter with coral–in this case, a member of the genus Cirrhipathes, commonly known as ‘whip coral’ because of its twisted, coiled appearance. Whip corals can be found in parts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, where they attach themselves to coral reefs. Despite their bright exterior, whip corals are actually considered black corals, a larger group of deep-water corals, and inside they possess a dark skeleton.