Lophelia pertusa

Due to poor light conditions and an abundance of particles in the water it is difficult to present an overview photo of a Lophelia-reef. Therefore we have combined several photos taken by IMR and Statoil from manned submersibles and ROVs to show a "representative" reef.

On the top of the reef the hemispherical living colonies are found. Below this zone living colonies of varying size are found with dead corals in between. At the base of the reef there is a zone characterised by fragments of coral mixed with sand and mud.

Paragorgia and other gorgonians are common on the reefs. Redfish, Sebastes spp., are often seen in considerable numbers in connection with the reefs.