Leaf plate montipora

Leaf plate montipora

Vase coral, Cap coral, Plating montipora

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Montipora capricornis

Leaf plate montipora (Montipora capricornis), also known as vase coral, cap coral, or plating montipora, is a type of small polyp stony (SPS) coral in the family Acroporidae.

Appearance

Montipora capricornis forms flat, plating colonies. The colonies expand by adding to their foundations and further spreading out. The individual polyps appear as small "bumps" on the surface of the skeleton. At night, the polyps emerge from the skeleton to feed on plankton. The polyps are usually transparent with slight patches of color due to zooxanthellae, symbiotic algae living in the coral's tissue.

Distribution

Geography

Montipora capricornis is a very common species of coral, particularly in the Indian and Pacific oceans, as well as in reefs in the Red Sea. It usually inhabits the top half of the reef where photosynthesis can occur. Montipora capricornis will "branch out" from their foundation into an area with adequate sunlight. It also lives in coral reefs and enjoys warm sunny temperatures.

Habits and Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

Population

References

1. Leaf plate montipora Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_plate_montipora
2. Leaf plate montipora on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/133422/3737366

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