Brain coral
Lobophyllia sp.
- Not on exhibit
- Animal type
- Invertebrates
- Ecosystem
- Coral reefs
- Relatives
- Brain corals, other corals, sea anemones, jellies; Phylum: Cnidaria; Order: Scleractinia; Family: Faviidae
- Diet
- Nutrients provided by algae growing in their tissues; small drifting animals (plankton)
- Range
- Red Sea through the Indo-Pacific to southern Japan
- Size
- Colonies can grow 6 feet (1.8 m) or higher
About brain coral
These corals get their common name from the grooves and channels on their surfaces that look like the folds of the human brain. There's more than one kind of "brain coral"—several species from two different families of corals share the name—but all help build coral reefs.
Conservation
Coral reefs around the world are in danger. Silt (fine soil) smothers coral when it washes off the land from farm fields, roads and building sites. More towns and resorts near shore mean more sewage, oil and chemicals in the water. Global warming and changes in weather patterns create conditions that corals can't survive. Even recreational diving on reefs takes a toll: boat anchors break off coral heads, and corals die where divers kick or grab them.
Cool facts
- While staghorn corals grow rapidly to gain new territory, slow-growing brain corals rely on brawn. They hold their ground by being solid and strong enough to withstand the storms that pound more delicate corals to rubble.
- Like most corals, Lobophyllia has a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, algae that live in its tissues. The coral provides a protected habitat for the algae, and in turn, the zooxanthellae provide the coral with nutrition in the form of glucose and amino acids—products of photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae also provide excess oxygen, which helps the coral remove waste material.
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