A newly discovered deep-sea coral has earned the nickname Chewbacca thanks to its striking resemblance to the Star Wars Wookie. Found in the tropical western Pacific, the coral has been officially named Iridogorgia chewbacca.
The coral is distinguished by its long, flexible branches with a shiny surface, giving it a “hairy” appearance that recalls the iconic sci-fi character.
Les Watling, professor emeritus at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa’s School of Life Sciences and co-author of the study published in Zootaxa, first noticed the coral while reviewing research from colleagues in China. His previous work in Hawaiʻi waters, along with collaborations on NOAA expeditions, helped confirm that it represented a species new to science.
“Seeing this coral for the first time was unforgettable,” Watling said in a UH press release. “Its long, flexible branches immediately brought Chewbacca to mind. Even after years of deep-sea research, discoveries like this still make me pause in amazement.”
Although the coral was initially recorded in the wild in 2006, it wasn’t formally described as a distinct species until later. Comprehensive research, including genetic analysis, confirmed its uniqueness, leading to its official recognition as a new species.