Deep Sea Corals
The deep sea is home to remarkably rich coral systems. Once thought to inhabit only the warm and shallow waters of tropical and subtropical regions, corals have apparently been thriving in deep, dark and cold waters throughout the world for millions of years. Carbon dating of living cold-water coral reefs has revealed that the oldest may be 8,000 years old or more. Indeed, it is now thought that there are more coral species living in the dark ocean depths than in the tropical shallows. Several of the coral species create complex reefs and ornate three-dimensional, forest-like structures that rival tropical coral systems in their size and complexity. The oldest and tallest reef observed to date is 35 meters high.

Deep Sea Sponges
Some of the oldest multi-cellular animals, sponges have been living in the world's oceans for over 600 million years. Like cold-water corals, large deep-water sponge fields are hotspots of biodiversity. Deep sea life holds major promise for the treatment of human illnesses. One compound isolated from a deep-water sponge, which lives at depths of 990 to 1,980 feet (300 to 600 meters), shows promise for use as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat arthritis and skin irritations and is also being investigated as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease and to prevent colon cancer.

Where high resolution images are available for download, such images are available for free editorial use by media professionals, provided the copyright / photo credit information given below is reproduced and relevant organisation(s) credited.
In all other cases the relevant organisations and individuals must be contacted.