💡Online now - the Spotlight "Ancient enzyme diversification underpins octocoral chemical diversity" from @kdarragh.bsky.social.
#TerpeneSynthase #Diterpenes #BiosyntheticPathway #Octocorals #Evolution
Read it here 👉 authors.elsevier.com/a/1mURq3S6Gf...
“I am Severin, a PhD candidate at the University of Oldenburg and the HIFMB, in cooperation with Senckenberg am Meer in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. My scientific work focuses on the integrative systematics and taxonomy of deep sea and cold water octocorals, particularly the North Atlantic and Pacific genera Duva, Drifa, Pseudodrifa, and Gersemia." Photo1: Photo of Severin during the CoralNewZ expedition in NZ waters.
"I combine classical morphology with modern sequencing approaches to reassess the diversity, evolutionary history, and species boundaries of these groups. A central focus of my research lies in the analysis of historical type material from international museums, the redescription of old types, and the resolution of long-standing taxonomic uncertainties. Many of these historical specimens are remarkably old (some exceeding 200 years in age)." Photo2: Type material of Duva florida (Rathke, 1806).
"Methodologically, I work extensively with SEM-based sclerite documentation and detangling morphological characters for phylogenetic analyses. In parallel, I apply protocols for recovering molecular data from highly degraded specimens and employ shallow genome sequencing. This approach becomes particularly challenging when working with centuries-old material." Photo3: Type material of Drifa islandica Danielssen, 1887, labeled by Wilhelm Georg Kükenthal (1861–1922).
"My work also includes participation in research expeditions such as the CoralNewZ expedition in the Southwest Pacific, as well as projects in the North Atlantic and the Western Indian Ocean. The overarching goal of my research is to develop a modern, robust integrative system for cold-water octocorals, uncover new species, and establish a taxonomic and phylogenetic framework that supports future biodiversity and conservation research.” Photo4: Selection of corals collected during the CoralNewZ and the CoWIO expedition.
Happy new week, members!
Meet another 2025 conference awardee: Severin Korfhage (@severinkorfhage.bsky.social), PhD candidate @ U. of Oldenburg & #HIFMB working on the systematics & taxonomy of #DeepSea & cold-water #octocorals spanning from the #NorthAtlantic to the #Pacific.
More in alt-text!
Again a great talk of @jbaptiste-ledoux.bsky.social on the genomics of #hybridisation in Eunicella #octocorals! #eseb2025 #speciation
The results from a field observation of an octocoral population in the North Aegean Sea, Greece: doi.org/10.3897/BDJ....
#octocorals #deepsea #biodiversity
Mesophotic Gorgonian Octocorals 🪸 of the Indo-West Pacific. Images taken from 70-125 m (230-410 ft) deep. Not too shabby really 🙃
#gorgonian #octocorals #mesophotic #research #rebreather @lightandmotion.bsky.social @cmsnartistid.bsky.social
"Nonny (Oenone) Scott is a PhD student at the University of Essex. She is working on larval dispersal models of octocorals in the Scotia Sea (Southern Ocean), with a goal to help improve our understanding of the connectivity of these vulnerable marine ecosystems. At the 17DSBS she presented two posters – one covering the larval dispersal work and her progress to date, and the other proposing a framework for working with hydrodynamic models in ecology and biology. She got her BSc in Biology, with a concentration in Marine Biology and minor in Environmental Science & Policy. From there she joined a start-up in the energy/ tech space. As one of the first employees her role was incredibly broad, and developed considerably over the three years she was there. Working in the tech space inspired her curiosity in coding, which lead to her seeking a masters in Computational Methods in Ecology & Conservation, which facilitated her move back into the marine space. Alongside computational work, Nonny is also really interested in science-policy overlaps, resource management and conservation, and outreach. When she isn’t doing her PhD, she is working for a freediving club, listening to who-dun-its, or trying to get to the sea! She is very appreciative to be part of such a vibrant and welcoming community of deep-sea scientists, and is very grateful to the Deep Sea Biology Society for supporting and facilitating her in-person participating in the 17DSBS." (Image: Oenone “Nonny” Scott smiling and gesturing to her 17DSBS poster titled “A New Framework for Assessing Hydrodynamic Model Suitability for Biological and Ecological Studies")
Meet Oenone “Nonny” Scott, a PhD student at the University of Essex modelling larval dispersal of #octocorals in the Scotia Sea to understand connectivity in vulnerable ecosystems. With a background in biology, coding, and conservation, she’s passionate about #SciencePolicy and ecosystem protection.
... #Octocorals and their #traits are a crucial piece of the puzzle to understand how coral-dominated ecosystems function, how they are being transformed by global change, and how we can improve their management in the Anthropocene.
#Octocorals play crucial roles in coral ecosystems, providing essential #functions and #services. They also drive reef reconfiguration processes in response to #GlobalChange, often following trajectories distinct from reef-forming corals in many regions. Thus...
#Octocorals are a class of corals that host more than 3,500 nominal species of mainly non-stony corals (e.g., soft corals, sea fans and sea pens). They are distributed across more than 75 families and can be found from the shallow waters to the deep sea and across all marine ecoregions.
Since 2016, the Coral Trait Database (www.coraltraits.org) has contributed to the advancement of coral reef science globally. However, data on #octocorals —key components of many coral ecosystems— was missing... until NOW. 🎉 The Octocoral Trait Database is here! 👇
rdcu.be/d6qpy
NEW
Recurrent Extreme Climatic Events Are Driving Gorgonian Populations to Local Extinction: Low Adaptive Potential to #MarineHeatwaves
📄 https://buff.ly/4iWWbIP
#extremeclimate #octocorals
Perhaps this great swathe of octocorals at Anilao is also Conglomeratusclera coerulea (aka Blue Xenia). Also shown are some Xenia species.
#Philippines #MarineLife #coral #octocoral #octocoralFriday #Cnidarian #coralreef #Xeniidae #softcorals #softcoral #octocorals #Xenia
12/25
At Anilao there are fabulous displays of the octocoral Conglomeratusclera coerulea (aka Blue Xenia).
#Batangas #Philippines #MarineLife #corals #octocoral #octocoralFriday #coral #coralreefs #Cnidarian #coralreef #Xeniidae #softcorals #softcoral #octocorals #sundayvibes
11/25
Let's start on Anilao's Cnidarian riches, 1st Octocorals or Soft Corals: top are Sclerophytum finger leather corals, below is the star polyp Briareum violaceum & Bushy Soft Rod (Rumphella aggregata). #Sclerophytum #softcoral #MarineLife #octocorals #octocoralFriday #sealife
10/25
