Anthozoa

Coral

Verschilt from centimeter tot meter
Hundreds tot thousands of jaar (colony)
Veel soorten bedreigd of ernstig bedreigd
Over

Coral

Coral reefs are the foundation of marine ecosystems worldwide and the Bahamas hosts the third-largest barrier reef system on Earth. These living organisms — colonies of tiny polyps — build massive calcium carbonate structures over thousands of years. Brain corals, elkhorn corals, and sea fans create complex underwater landscapes that support over 25% of all marine species.

Grootte

Verschilt from centimeter tot meter (colony size)

Gewicht

Verschilt enormously

Levensduur

Hundreds tot thousands of jaar (colony)

Status

Veel soorten bedreigd of ernstig bedreigd

Waar je ze kunt vinden

Beste duiklocaties

Andros Barrièrerif, BahamasExuma Cays Land & Sea ParkGroot Barrièrerif, AustraliëRode Zee, EgypteMaledivenRaja Ampat, IndonesiëFijiBelize Barrier ReefCaribisch gebied

Duiktips

Never touch or stand on coral — even light contact can kill decades of growth. Maintain excellent buoyancy and keep fins clear of the reef. Use reef-safe sunscreen. Night dives reveal coral polyps feeding, an extraordinary spectacle.

Beste seizoen

Year-round, best visibility in winter months

Leefgebied

Shallow tropical and subtropical waters, typically less than 60 metres deep

Voeding

Photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae) and plankton captured by polyps
Wist je dat?

Leuke weetjes

1

Coral reefs support about 25% of all known marine species

2

The Andros Barrier Reef in the Bahamas is the third-largest in the world

3

Coral can reproduce both sexually and asexually

4

Some coral colonies are over 4,000 years old — older than the pyramids

Begin je avontuur

Klaar om met dit dier te duiken?

Ontdek onze liveaboard-expedities naar de beste duikbestemmingen