Answer: A newly discovered deep-sea coral species
Notes: A new deep-sea coral species has been identified as Iridogorgia chewbacca. The species is named after Chewbacca, the tall, furry Wookiee character from Star Wars. It was discovered in the tropical western Pacific Ocean and first seen in 2006. The coral has long, curly, shiny branches resembling Chewbacca’s fur and grows upright alone on the ocean floor. The discovery was made by researchers including Les Watling, in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The finding highlights deep ocean biodiversity and was published in Zootaxa.
