Scientists discover pristine reef off Galapagos

Scientists have discovered a pristine, deep-sea coral reef that's teeming with marine life in previously unexplored waters off Ecuador's Galapagos islands. The reef was found between 400-600 metres deep, according to the Charles Darwin Foundation, which was part of an expedition which made the discovery.

That expedition followed the two kilometres long reef to the top of an underwater mountain which had been formed by volcanic activity.The scientists were onboard the deep-sea research submarine 'Alvin,' which was operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, when they made the discovery.

Scientists had previously thought that just one reef, the Wellington Reef, had survived warming waters in the Galapagos archipelago during the El Nino weather event in 1982-83.