Midnight Coral
Tubastraea micranthus
Also known as: Black Cup Coral, Black Sun Coral, Black Turret Coral, Cup Coral, Daisy Coral, Flower Coral, Green Cup Coral, Sun Coral, Tubastraea Tube Coral, Tube Coral, Turret Coral
- Black Cup Coral
- Black Sun Coral
- Black Turret Coral
- Cup Coral
- Daisy Coral
- Flower Coral
- Green Cup Coral
- Sun Coral
- Tubastraea Tube Coral
- Tube Coral
- Turret Coral
Overview
Found in deep waters with strong currents, over drop-offs and terraces, of coral and rocky reefs. Often tall and branching. Colour varies from dark green to apricot colour, with a green sheen.
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.
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Indo-Pacific
- Country only · 8
Found in deep waters with strong currents, over drop-offs and terraces, of coral and rocky reefs.
Adult photos 8
Discussion
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Deep dive
Taxonomy
- familyDentrophylliidae
- genusTubastraea
- speciesTubastraea micranthus (Ehrenberg, 1834)
SourcesWoRMSSeaLifeBase