Elegance Coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei)

Also known as Elegant Coral, Ridged Coral, Wonder Coral

Description

Also known as Elegant Coral, Ridged Coral, Wonder Coral.

Found seated on sandy areas, over exposed, surge areas of reefs. Colour usually green with a stripy look and deep valleys, sometimes different shapes.
They feed on plankton.
Often mistaken for Sea Anemones
Length - ?cm
Depth - 0-40m
Widespread Indo-West Pacific

Stony corals have hard stony skeletons, their polyps have six tentacles or are made up of multiples of six. These are usually nocturnal, however if the sky's are overcast, then many will feed during the day.
Generally the more robust corals life on exposed areas, while the smaller corals live in sheltered lagoons or deeper waters.
Stony corals are reef building corals and embedded in their flesh are thousands of minute single-celled marine plants called zooxanthellae which accounts for their colour.
These corals support a huge diversity of life, their main predator being the crown-of-thorns sea star. (edit) Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalaphyllia

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