These divers are killing a beautiful coral to save Brazil’s marine life

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RIO DE JANEIRO — Beneath the surface of Brazil’s coastal waters, a silent invasion is transforming marine ecosystems. Sun coral (Tubastraea coccinea and Tubastraea tagusensis), an…

RIO DE JANEIRO — Beneath the surface of Brazil’s coastal waters, a silent invasion is transforming marine ecosystems.

Sun coral (Tubastraea coccinea and Tubastraea tagusensis), an invasive coral native to the Indo-Pacific, is spreading along Brazil’s coastline, threatening native species.

First seen in Brazil in the 1980s, attached to an offshore oil platform in Rio de Janeiro state, sun coral has since spread rapidly. Estimates suggest it can expand at 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) rate per year and is now found along approximately 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) of the Brazilian coast.

Without any natural predators to keep it in check, sun coral can quickly dominate rocky reefs, outcompeting native species for space. It also releases chemicals that harm neighboring corals, including Brazil’s native brain and star corals.

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