Species Type:
Corals, Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Crescent coral
Size:
Crescent corals can grow meters across.
Diet:
Using its polyp tentacles, crescent 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 Indo-Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, crescent corals inhabit shallow waters with moderate wave activity.
Details:
Crescent corals range in color from blue-grey to orange, usually with cream or green lining its borders. This coral species grows in a mound shape with wavy polyps extending out from a singular base. Crescent coral gets its name from the semi-circle shape of the end of its polyps.