Species Type:
Corals, Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Artichoke coral
Size:
Each artichoke coral can reach four inches (10 centimeters) in diameter.
Diet:
Using its polyp tentacles, artichoke corals catch and eat smaller marine organisms that drift by. They also have a special algae—called zooxanthellae– in their tissues that photosynthesize the sun's rays into energy/food.
Range & Habitat:
In the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean, artichoke coral can be found among shallow-moderately deep coral reef colonies.
Details:
Artichoke corals can be green, brown, red, tan or bright orange in color. They’re attached at the base to various hard surfaces and grows outward in a disc shape.