Anthozoa

Coral

Varierar from centimeter till meter
Hundreds till thousands of år (colony)
Många arter sårbara eller hotade
Om

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.

Storlek

Varierar from centimeter till meter (colony size)

Vikt

Varierar enormously

Livslängd

Hundreds till thousands of år (colony)

Status

Många arter sårbara eller hotade

Var du hittar dem

Bästa dykplatser

Andros Barrier Reef, BahamasExuma Cays Land & Sea ParkGreat Barrier Reef, AustralienRöda havet, EgyptenMaldivernaRaja Ampat, IndonesienFijiBelize Barrier ReefKaribien

Dyktips

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.

Bästa säsong

Year-round, best visibility in winter months

Livsmiljö

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

Föda

Photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae) and plankton captured by polyps
Visste du?

Roliga fakta

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

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