Staghorn Coral, Swim Free and Thrive!

Corals are cnidarians, in the same large family as anemones. There are more than a thousand coral species worldwide, but the best known are the stony corals, like staghorns, which make skeletons of calcium carbonate. What looks like one organism is actually a colony made of tiny coral polyps that look like tiny anemones. Inside each polyp live plant-like cells called zooxanthellae that produce food from sunlight, supplying energy to the coral. In turn, the coral polyp supplies the zooxanthellae with nutrients from the ocean and shelter. It’s these zooxanthellae that are sensitive to the increase in ocean temperatures.

Healthy Reef Photos and Images

Staghorn Coral (Acropora cervicornis)

182 Algae Coral Polyp Stock Photos - Free & Royalty-Free Stock Photos from Dreamstime

Reef Refugia - bioGraphic

Smithsonian Insider – Smithsonian scientists help build first frozen repository of Great Barrier Reef coral

Coral reefs are critical for our food supply, tourism, and ocean health. We can protect them from climate change - MIT Science Policy Review

Staghorn Coral NOAA Fisheries

All You Need To Know About Coral & Coral Reefs

Remote coral reefs are doing better

Coral Reefs in Cozumel - Barefoot Dive Center

Half-and-half Chromis and Elegant Unicornfish swim over breathtaking corals, Underwater Stock Video

Staghorn Coral NOAA Fisheries

Reef Refugia - bioGraphic

Pioneering Research at Mote Marine Laboratory May Save the World's Dying Coral