Which order includes black corals?

Black corals belong to the order Antipatharia.

Antipatharians are colonial anthozoans found in oceans around the world, especially on deeper continental slopes and other low-light habitats. Their living polyps surround a flexible internal skeleton made largely of protein and chitin rather than the calcium-carbonate skeleton typical of many reef corals.

The name “black coral” describes the skeleton, which is usually black or dark brown beneath the living tissue. The colonies themselves may appear white, red, yellow, green, or brown, and their skeletons can form whips, fans, trees, or coils. Tiny spines along the skeleton account for the alternative name “thorn corals.”

Black corals are often confused with soft corals or precious corals, but Antipatharia is a distinct order. Their polyps have six tentacles, and many species feed on zooplankton and other small drifting organisms rather than relying primarily on photosynthetic algae.