Species Type:
Corals, Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Star coral
Size:
Each corallite on star coral is 0.25-0.40 inches (2.5 - 4 millimeters) in diameter.
Diet:
Using its tentacles, 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:
Star coral can be brown, green, gray or yellow in color. Their corallites (hardened circles surrounding the polyps) are pale, enlarged and irregular. This species tends to grow into mounds and plates.