Corals

Corals are invertebrate animals belonging to a large group of colourful animals called Cnidaria.
Each coral is called a polyp.
- Polyps of reef-building corals contain microscopic algae called zooxanthellae, which exist with animals in a symbiotic relationship.
  - Coral polyps (animals) provide algae (plants) a home, and in exchange, the algae provide polyps with the food they generate through photosynthesis.
They form barriers to protect shorelines from waves and storms.
They are two types:
- Hard corals – Primary reef-building corals, extract calcium carbonate from seawater to build hard, white coral exoskeletons.
- Soft Corals – Flexible because they lack a solid skeleton.
Threats: Ocean acidification, unsustainable fishing (Blast fishing), nutrient run-offs, coral harvesting etc.
In India, Coral reefs are found in the Gulf of Kutch, the Gulf of Mannar, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep Islands and Malvan (Maharashtra).

Latest News about Corals

20 April 2023:
- Recently, a scientific expedition has discovered a previously unknown coral reef with abundant marine life off Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands.
25 December 2022:
- Scientists, who are working on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, have succeeded in testing a new method for freezing and storing coral larvae.