Description
Also known as Branching Coral, Finger Coral, Pore Coral, Small Polyp Stony Coral.
Found in colonies, in clear shallow waters, on reef flats, of coral and rocky reefs. Colours vary from cream and brown in deeper waters, and bright colours in shallow waters.
They feed on plankton.
Length - 50cm
Depth - 1-10m
Widespread Indo-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: http://www.coralsoftheworld.org/species_factsheets/species_factsheet_summary/porites-murrayensis/
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