Photos: Researchers collect samples of coral off the Channel Islands

Marine biologist Leslie Wickes retrieves a sample of gold coral collected from the seafloor of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Branwen Williams, a professor at the Keck Science Department of the Claremont Colleges, examines a gold coral sample collected during the weeklong mission.   (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A remotely operated vehicle with cameras and manipulator arm is lowered into the water to look for coral samples in the marine sanctuary off Southern California.   (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A piece of stony coral collected from the marine sanctuary seafloor.   (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A Desmophyllum dianthus coral sample.   (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Marine biologists Leslie Wickes and Peter Etnoyer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show a sampling of stony coral collected in the deep-sea mission.   (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The NOAA-led mission aboard the research ship Bell M. Shimada heads away from Santa Cruz Island.   (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

NOAA scientist Peter Etnoyer shows a delicate Acanthogorgia coral .   (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

This marine creature was collected along with coral samples.   (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Andy Lauermann, right, with Marine Applied Research and Exploration, pilots the remotely operated vehicle back alongside the Bell M. Shimada for retrieval.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The remotely operated vehicle is equipped with high-definition cameras and a multifunctional manipulator arm used to collect samples.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Dirk Rosen, left, and Andy Lauermann control the ROV from a command center aboard the Bell M. Shimada.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)