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New Coral Species Named After Chewbacca Discovered

9/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Scientists discovered a new deep-sea coral species, Iridogorgia chewbacca, in the tropical western Pacific.
Its long, flexible branches resemble Chewbacca from Star Wars.
The coral was first seen off Moloka’i in 2006 and near the Mariana Trench in 2016.
The Moloka’i specimen was about four feet tall, while the Mariana Trench sample measured 20 inches.
The study, co-authored by Les Watling, emphasizes the region's biodiversity and the need for international collaboration in marine research.

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Story summary

Scientists discovered a new deep-sea coral species, Iridogorgia chewbacca, in the tropical western Pacific.
Its long, flexible branches resemble Chewbacca from Star Wars.
The coral was first seen off Moloka’i in 2006 and near the Mariana Trench in 2016.
The Moloka’i specimen was about four feet tall, while the Mariana Trench sample measured 20 inches.
The study, co-authored by Les Watling, emphasizes the region's biodiversity and the need for international collaboration in marine research.