Yes, as you can see, I’m still on my coral kick…what can I say, I find it interesting! Anyway, here are five of the funnest facts that I could find about coral. I hope you enjoy them!
First of all, coral colonies arent’ all one “tree.” Colonies are actually many, many individuals growing very close together. Interestingly, coral colonies originally begin with just one settler. This single individual will then divide many times and populate the colony on its own. Very nice!
Coral is actually a very broad term. Do you know how many species are classified as “coral”? A heck of a whole lot, just so you know. Some of the species in the group include: hard coral, soft coral (and there actually is a difference between the two), sea feathers, sea pens, sea pansies (oh, those sound pretty), whip corals, and so many more.
You’ll hear it first hear…most corals are in a relationship. Sorry all you teen corals out there, you’re going to have to search long and hard for a mate that isn’t in a symbiotic relationship with that witch zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae is a species of algae that provides food for the polyps on the coral. This extra food helps the coral grow super fast.
Another interesting fact, coral is really relatively young. It is very rarely found in the fossil record, and since it grows in water (where the best fossils are made)it can be safely assumed that coral sprouted rather recently. The earliest coral is seen in the fossil record is during the Cambrian period. This era took place about 520 million years ago.
And finally, yes, coral does have a backbone. A white skeleton is the basis for any reef, and coral has a backbone made of limestone. Limestone is actually a calcium carbonate, which means it is both strong and resilient in water.
Did you enjoy these fun facts? Do you have more to share? Are you tired of me talking about coral? Well, let me know by commenting today!