Species Type:
Corals, Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Mustard hill coral
Size:
On average, mustard hill coral grows 0.35 centimeters (3.5 millimeters) every year.
Diet:
Using its tentacles, mustard hill 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:
In the western Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, mustard hill coral inhabits shallow reef communities.
Details:
Mustard hill coral colonies are usually large, encrusting onto other surfaces as it grows. This coral species gets its name from its bright, bumpy, mustard yellow appearance.