If you’re swimming across a thriving coral reef, you may mistakenly believe you floated upon a giant underwater human brain.
Brain coral is a hard coral, also known as a stony coral or reef builder. They cluster into colonies and ultimately create the foundation for a reef to form, giving soft corals and many other marine species a place to call home.
These magnificently grooved creatures, from which they get their name, are key parts of a healthy reef.
Hard corals like brain corals aren’t plants or even one large animal. They are made up of individual polyps – related to jellyfish and anemones – that group together, making use of calcium and carbonate ions to create a calcium carbonate skeleton. Most of the bulk of the coral is made up of this calcium-based frame.
Brain coral stands out because of its intricate, brain-like, patterns that weave across the surface. ...
