CNN —This summer’s record-breaking marine heat wave may have been the “nail in the coffin” for an iconic species of coral that serves as a building block of marine life around Florida. They were also the first coral species to gain protected status under the Endangered Species Act, Jennifer Moore, a threatened coral expert for NOAA told CNN. Staghorn coral may have faired slightly better than elkhorn this summer, Williamson said, but still faces similar long term challenges. Scientists fear this summer's ocean heat was the "nail in the coffin" for elkhorn and staghorn species. “We are definitely looking at a major mortality event, we just won’t know the extent of it for a couple more months,” Moore told CNN.

---

Persons: ”, Liv Williamson, ” Williamson, Jennifer Moore, Moore, Williamson, ” Moore, Liv, ‘, “ Organizations: CNN, University of Miami, NOAA Locations: Florida, Elkhorn, elkhorn, Caribbean, “, Key Largo