---
title: Black coral (Antipatharia)
scientific_name: Antipatharia
common_name: Black coral
rank: Order
published: 2024-11-19T18:41:51.573Z
updated: 2026-08-03T20:48:15.686Z
tags: Black coral, Antipatharia, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving
url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/stinging/black-coral
---

# Black coral (*Antipatharia*)

## Quick facts

- **Rank:** Order
- **Scientific name:** Antipatharia
- **Body shape:** Invertebrate - Not a fish - coral, mollusc, crustacean, echinoderm and other invertebrate groups.
- **Species listed here:** 1

## How to recognise this group

- variable colony shape: whip-like, branching, fan-like, or coiled
- exposed skeleton typically dark brown or jet-black
- small polyps with six tentacles covering the skeleton
- polyps often brightly coloured: white, red, green, yellow, or brown

Black corals (Antipatharia) are colonial cnidarians, recognised by their internal chitinous skeleton, which is typically jet-black or dark brown and covered in small, sharp spines. These skeletons form diverse structures such as whips, trees, fans, or coils, ranging in size from 10 cm (4 in) to 300 cm (10 ft). Small, gelatinous polyps, each equipped with six non-retractable stinging tentacles, completely cover the skeleton. Polyps display a range of colours including white, red, green, yellow, or brown. The common name "black coral" refers to the colour of the skeleton, while "thorn corals" highlights its spiny texture. The scientific name Antipatharia derives from Greek, meaning "against suffering," referring to historical use in traditional medicine.

They commonly inhabit reef slopes, walls, and overhangs, typically found at depths below 20 m (65 ft) and often deeper than 50 m (165 ft). These corals thrive in areas with moderate to strong currents. As carnivores, they capture zooplankton and other meiofauna using their polyps; some species also extend specialized sweeper tentacles up to 15 mm (0.6 in) to hunt prey. Black corals attach to hard substrates in crevices and sheltered spots, as their skeletons offer little protection from accumulating sediment.


## Species (1)

- [Spiral Wire Coral (Cirrhipathes cf. spiralis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/stinging/black-coral/spiral-wire-coral)

---

*Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/invertebrate/stinging/black-coral)*
*Updated: August 3, 2026*