Primnoa

Primnoa also known as red tree coral, is a genus of soft corals and the type genus of the family Primnoidae . They are sessile, benthic cnidarians that can be found in the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and Subantarctic South Pacific, and its members often play a vital ecological role as keystone species within their environment as a habitat and refuge for the megafauna that also inhabit those regions. This, in combination with their slow growth, makes the increasing disturbance to their habitats caused by fishing activities particularly impactful and difficult to recover from.

== Etymology == The name Primnoa derives from the Greek word Πρυμνὼ (Prymno), the name of an Oceanid. The name itself is derived from πρυμνός (prymnos), meaning "last", "lowest", and by extension, "deepest".