Species Type:
Corals, Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Great star coral
Size:
Great star coral colonies can grow anywhere from 0.33-8.2 feet (10-250 centimeters) in diameter.
Diet:
Using its tentacles, great star coral will catch and eat smaller marine organisms that drift by. Coral also have a special algae—called zooxanthellae– in their tissues that photosynthesize the sun's rays into energy/food.
Range & Habitat:
Occurring in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, the great star coral inhabits waters anywhere from 30-100 feet (10-30 meters) deep.
Details:
Great star coral usually takes the form of massive dome-shaped boulders. They can range in color from red, orange and green to brown. Each polyp is surrounded by a corallite—or hardened ring of calcium carbonate.