The species Dendronephthya, a type of soft coral, was discovered at a depth of 42 meters in the sea near the village of Sdot Yam this past May. It may have “migrated” from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal.
Israeli marine biologists have found this type of coral, commonly seen in the Red Sea, in the eastern Mediterranean. This indicates that this marine organism may have “migrated” from the Red Sea to the eastern Mediterranean.
This species of coral is very common in the Red Sea. (Photo illustration: AFP/TTXVN).
In a study published in the journal Biology, scientists from the University of Haifa in Israel reported that this is the soft coral species Dendronephthya, found at a depth of 42 meters near the village of Sdot Yam last May.
This type of coral is typically found in tropical waters of the Indian Ocean-Pacific region and is prevalent in the Red Sea.
The research indicates that while the exact mode of movement cannot be determined, this coral species may have “migrated” from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean.
This phenomenon is considered part of Lessepsian Migration—the migration of marine species through the Suez Canal, typically from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and rarely in the opposite direction.
Experts believe that the cooler waters of the Mediterranean, which were previously unsuitable for tropical corals, are gradually becoming less of a natural barrier due to climate change.
According to researchers, the rising temperatures in coastal waters during winter and the temperature shifts in the eastern Mediterranean since the 1990s may create favorable conditions for the invasion of tropical species.
Researchers warn that due to its rapid growth characteristics, Dendronephthya coral will spread quickly and could become a dominant species in the Mediterranean, posing a serious risk to the local ecosystem.
