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Coelenterate Coral
Photograph by Tim Laman, National Geographic
Shelves of coral surround the Pacific island of Palau. Corals, small organisms related to anemones, secrete calcium carbonate, which hardens into an exoskeleton and over time forms reefs.
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Orange Cup Coral
Photograph by Heather Perry, National Geographic
Appearing as flowers of the sea, the tentacles of an orange cup coral reach out in the waters of the Caroline Islands in Micronesia. Known for their brilliant colors, these corals inhabit the shallow areas of coral reefs.
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Anthias and Soft Coral
Photograph by Tim Laman, National Geographic
A Fijian reef explodes in color as a school of anthias swims past. If a soft coral hosts zooxanthellae (the algae that give coral the nutrients it needs to grow) and the water becomes too warm, the algae leave and the soft coral die. Unlike hard corals, soft corals don’t leave a limestone skeleton behind and cannot regenerate.
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Branching Coral
Photograph by Heather Perry, National Geographic
With alphabetic intent, this branching coral near the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean Sea seems to be spelling out a message. The coral’s hard calcium-carbonate skeleton provides the form, and the symbiotic algae they host create the color. -
Fluorescent Coral
Photograph by Tim Laman, National Geographic
Glowing green fluorescent coral in Palau absorbs light at one wavelength and emits it at another. Scientists have found that corals with fluorescent properties can handle the effects of coral bleaching caused by warmer waters better than other corals. This gives fluorescent corals an edge in protecting the symbiotic algae they host.
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Wrasse in Anchor Coral
Photograph by Tim Laman, National Geographic
Shining bright, a juvenile wrasse takes shelter in anchor coral off Flores Island, Indonesia. While not all of the more than 300 species of wrasses are vibrantly colored, many exhibit striking coloration and patterns. Some species even change their sex along with their color.
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Coral Reef
Photograph by Raul Touzon, National Geographic
A coral reef near the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean showcases some of the enormous diversity found in the coral realm. Sponges, finger coral, sea fans, and brain coral give shape and color to this reef. One coral wall can hold more phyla than an entire continent. -
Great Barrier Reef Coral
Photograph by Nicole Duplaix, National Geographic
The temperate waters of the Great Barrier Reef off Australia's eastern coast support this coral found near Heron Island. Actually a reef complex, the Great Barrier Reef consists of at least 2,800 reefs and stretches more than 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) from its northern to its southern end.
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Soft Corals, Papua New Guinea
Photograph by Wolcott Henry, National Geographic
Vivid orange, pink, and white soft corals branch out from a reef in Papua New Guinea. Soft corals open up to the current to feed on plankton and give the reef some of its most colorful scenes. Indo-Pacific coral reefs contain some 90 genera of soft corals.
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Soft Coral
Photograph by Wolcott Henry, National Geographic
Like dancers in formation, this group of soft coral shines green in the western Pacific. Soft coral polyps differ from hard coral polyps in that they have eight tentacles while hard corals have multiples of six. Soft corals don't leave behind a hard skeleton when they die, as reefmaking hard corals do.
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Black Coral
Photograph by Brian Skerry, National Geographic
A diver explores an emerald kingdom in New Zealand’s Wet Jacket Arm marine reserve. Black coral creates an undersea forest for colorful reef fish and can live for 300 years. Aiding its marine ecosystems by creating reserves, New Zealand hopes to protect 10 percent of its waters by 2010.
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Flower Coral
Photograph by Tim Laman, National Geographic
Flower coral in the Philippines demonstrate the derivation of their common name. This close-up view shows off the coral’s polyps. Brain, branching, mound, and plate corals describe other coral shapes and structures.
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