Coral (Brain)
About the Coral (Brain)
Coral reefs support 25% of all marine species despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor. Brain corals can live 900+ years, making them among the oldest living organisms. Each coral head is a colony of thousands of genetically identical polyps. They get their color from symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) - when stressed, they expel them and turn white (coral bleaching). The Great Barrier Reef has lost over 50% of its coral since 1995. Coral provides the structural foundation for entire reef ecosystems. Some corals are bioluminescent. They reproduce in synchronized mass spawning events.
Related Species
Coral (Staghorn)
Once the dominant reef-building coral of the Caribbean, now critically endangered with 97%...
Sea Pen
Named for their resemblance to old-fashioned quill pens. Each sea pen is a colony of speci...
Coral (Elkhorn)
Once the most abundant coral in the Caribbean, now critically endangered. They are the pri...
Coral (Table)
Form broad flat tables that shade and outcompete other corals below. Their table shape max...