divepix - Spiny Flower Coral

Spiny Flower Coral

Aspect:	Appears as a solid and unique mass of large (up to 8cm diameter) meandering corallites (which are the hard surrounding walls of polyps), but are in fact separate fleshy polyps so closely bunched up together that they look like a solid mass reminiscent of a brain coral (see pictures of "Smooth Flower Coral" to better understand the concept of separate polyps on a common colony base). The name derives from the skeleton of each septum the edges of which are deeply serrated blades (which can only be seen on dead animals). Although colours can be more generally grey, or even blue elsewhere, many of the specimens photographed in this region appear to combine orange and green giving them an overall pinkish marmorean appearance from a distance.
Population:	Common.
Notable feature:	Transulcent polyps only deploy at night.
Environment:	Rock substrates, at depths of between 5 and 40 metres.
Behaviour:	-

More in this category: « Smooth Flower Coral Orange Cup Coral »