This “golden tree” coral was too strange for any known family
The meter-tall colonies rise from seafloors covered in brittle stars, inspiring the Tolkien-inspired name Laurinque elenya, or “golden tree of the stars.”
According to ScienceDaily, the meter-tall colonies rise from seafloors covered in brittle stars, inspiring the Tolkien-inspired name Laurinque elenya, or “golden tree of the stars.”
A brilliant yellow coral discovered off Costa Rica proved so unusual that scientists had to create an entirely new family to classify it. Advanced genetic analysis revealed that the coral belongs to a previously unknown evolutionary lineage.
This science story centres on the United States. Names and organisations mentioned in the coverage include Costa Rica, Tolkien-inspired and Laurinque.
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- United States · Americas
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- ScienceDaily
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- Costa Rica, Tolkien-inspired, Laurinque, Advanced
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- Science
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