brain coral
Furrowed marine colony
Brain coral is any of several species of stony coral whose rounded, grooved surface resembles a human brain.
These colonies grow slowly on tropical reefs, their maze-like patterns formed by thousands of individual polyps.
A single brain coral can live for centuries: The divers photographed a massive brain coral the size of a car.
Fleshy membrane projection
- cnidarianStinging aquatic invertebrate
- anthozoaFlower-like marine invertebrates
- colonialOf occupied territories
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
photosynthesis · tentacles · nematocysts · mucus · spawning · hermaphroditic · broadcast · larva
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- tropicalOf hot, humid regions
- CaribbeanTropical Atlantic region
Indo-Pacific · reef-building · framework · shelter · fish · invertebrates · parrotfish · algae
Extremely complex and winding
- groovesNarrow carved channels
- ridgesNarrow elevated formations
- valleysLow areas between hills
- convolutionsComplex winding folds
folds · channels · furrows · massive · dome-shaped · boulder · mound · hemispherical
Below the surface
- snorkelingSurface swimming with breathing tube
- scubaPortable underwater breathing gear
- observationAttentive watching or remark
- photographyCreating images from light
marine park · protected · tourism · identification · spotting · encounter · visibility · shallow
Chemical color removal
- warmingIncreasing in temperature
- acidificationIncrease in hydrogen ions
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
- diseaseDisorder impairing normal function
white plague · mortality · resilience · recovery · restoration · threatened · CITES · monitoring
polyp
Fleshy membrane projection
- cnidarianStinging aquatic invertebrate
- anthozoaFlower-like marine invertebrates
- colonialOf occupied territories
symbiosis · photosynthesis · tentacles · nematocysts · mucus · spawning · hermaphroditic · broadcast · larva · slow-growing
ecosystem
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- tropicalOf hot, humid regions
Caribbean · Indo-Pacific · reef-building · framework · shelter · fish · invertebrates · parrotfish · algae · sponges
labyrinthine
Extremely complex and winding
convolutions · folds · channels · furrows · massive · dome-shaped · boulder · mound · hemispherical · undulating
underwater
Below the surface
- snorkelingSurface swimming with breathing tube
- scubaPortable underwater breathing gear
- observationAttentive watching or remark
photography · marine park · protected · tourism · identification · spotting · encounter · visibility · shallow · lagoon
bleaching
Chemical color removal
- warmingIncreasing in temperature
- acidificationIncrease in hydrogen ions
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
disease · white plague · mortality · resilience · recovery · restoration · threatened · CITES · monitoring · climate change
- coral types
- Reef Conservationmarine reserves, marine sanctuaries, artificial reefs, reef ecosystems
- brain corals
- meandrinid
- marine lifeshark, sea turtles, manatees, whale, dolphins
- invertebratesinvertebrate, arthropod, arthropods, mollusk, crustacean
brain coralsoft coral
Flexible reef-building invertebrate
sea fan · tree coral · sea pen
brain coraljellyfish
Drifting marine stinger
sea turtle · fish · reef shark · octopus
brain, brainy, brains, coral, brainless, cerebral, brainchild, brained, cranium