Species Type:
Corals, Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Lesser starlet coral
Size:
Lesser starlet coral colonies can grow up to 12 inches (30 centimeters.)
Diet:
Using its polyp tentacles, lesser starlet 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:
Throughout the Gulf of Mexico, western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, lesser starlet coral can be found in shallow rocky reef areas.
Details:
Lesser starlet coral grows in small mounds or encrusting sheets. Each corallite is shaped like a small star, giving this coral its name. Deeper tissues are darker while this surface ranges in color from gray and green to light brown.