Rare underwater discovery: Large white coral reef found in the Gulf of Naples

(Patria) - A large white coral reef containing important plant and animal species and fossils has been discovered in the Gulf of Naples at a depth of over 500 metres, which is rare for the Mediterranean, the Italian National Research Council (CNR) announced yesterday.

The reef off Naples was discovered with the help of a remotely operated submarine in the Dohrn abyss, a deep sea canyon located just off the coast of the southern Italian city, as part of an EU-funded sea research mission.



"The research revealed the presence of massive structures over two metres wide. They are arranged along a vertical wall over 80 metres high," the CNR stated.

The statement notes that the structures are made of hard deep-sea corals, also known as "white corals" due to their lack of colour, belonging to the species Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata.

The reef also consists of black corals, solitary corals, sponges and other ecologically important species, as well as fossil traces of oysters and ancient corals, the CNR reported.

They have been called true geological testimonies of the distant past.

🚢#GaiaBlu spedizione scientifica #Demetra
Scoperta una scogliera corallina estesa e antica, situata al centro del Canyon Dohrn del Golfo di Napoli, a oltre 500 metri sotto la superficie del mare.
Un paesaggio sommerso, spettacolare e finora sconosciuto
👉https://t.co/O61mIEHt7e pic.twitter.com/znGg3eTyhP

— CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (@CNRsocial_) October 10, 2025

- The find is exceptional for Italian seas, given that bio-constructions of this type and scale have never before been observed in the Dohrn abyss, and are rarely seen elsewhere in the Mediterranean.

The discovery will help scientists better understand the ecological role of deep coral habitats and their distribution, especially in the context of efforts to conserve and restore them - said mission leader Giorgio Castellan.