Boulder Coral

(I don't currently have a genus or species ID for this coral)

 

(Phylum Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia. See Overview of Cnidarian Diversity)

 

This is a large-polyped stony coral that lays down skeleton fairly uniformly, resulting in a mound or boulder-shaped colony. Corals such as this are much slower growers than most of the small-polyped stony corals, though in the several years we have had it this coral has grown noticeably (compare newer photos to photos on our older web pages).

 

This coral gets much of its energy from its zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae), but it also consumes bits of fish food that land on it (even during the day, when the tentacles are normally retracted).

 

This coral produces new polyps by dividing large polyps in two (read further descriptions of coral growth patterns in About Corals, Anemones, and their Kin). A careful inspection of this coral reveals polyps at all stages in this process, ranging from some that are round, others that are elongated ovals preparing to divide, and other that are in the process of pinching apart in the middle.

 

This particular boulder coral fluoresces greenish white with bright green polyp centers under blue actinic lights (click for photo of fluorescing corals).