Lophelia reefs provide a shelter for hundreds of marine species. Amongst the coral branches occur fish (redfish, saithe, cod, ling, and tusk), squat lobsters, and other crustaceans, molluscs, starfish, brittlestars, sea pens, and sea urchins. A wide variety of animals grow on the coral itself, including sponges, bryozoans, hydroids, and other coral species.