Yellow tree coral

Yellow tree coral

 

Scientific name : Dendrophyllia cornigera

 

Order : Scleractinia (hard corals)
Size : Colony measures up to 40 cm
Distribution : Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean

 

Biology : This coral is only found at great depths, generally between 100 and 1000 m below the surface. To feed, it captures particles such as animal plankton.
It is easy to see the individual polyps in the colony, as well as their crown of tentacles and the mouth in their centre.
Unfortunately, this coral is threatened by deep-water trawling.

 

IUCN status : Not assessed