Free-living corals on unconsolidated substrates, such as sand and coral rubble, can play a key role in the outward expansion of coral reefs, yet their ecological significance at mesophotic depths remains poorly studied. Here, we present the first detailed documentation of aggregations of free-living corals at mesophotic depths (30–40 m) off Poivre Island, Seychelles, western Indian Ocean. Using manned submersibles and qualitat...