Dictionary > Brain coral

Brain coral

Definition
noun, plural: brain corals
A reef-building coral characterized by having a convoluted thecae resembling a human brain
Supplement
Brain corals belong to class Anthozoa. Their name is derived from their resemblance to a human brain. The polyps lie in thecae that are highly convoluted. They are one of the hard corals that build coral reefs. They are in fact, one of the most important coral reef builders. Similar to other stony corals, they deposit calcium carbonate to form their skeleton.
Brain corals may be found in shallow warm areas of the oceans. There are several species of brain corals. One of them is Diploria labyrinthiformis, which is commonly called grooved brain coral. It belongs to the family Mussidae. It is found in the tropical areas of the west Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the coasts of Central America, the Caribbean Sea, etc. It is spherical in shape and brown, yellow, or gray in color. It is distinct from other brain corals for its deep, interconnected double-valleys. Another is Favia fragrum (commonly called golfball coral). It is a stony coral species resembling a golfball and is found in the Atlantic Ocean. It also belongs to the family Mussidae. Diploastrea heliopora commonly called the honeycomb coral is a coral species of the family Diploastreidae.
Scientific classification:

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Cnidaria
  • Class: Anthozoa
  • Order: Scleractinia
  • Family: Mussidae (Ortmann, 1890)

See also:


You will also like...

An artistic depiction of Dunkleosteus fish
Fish

The sea was teeming with life. Eventually, through reproduction and continued variation, fish came about. There are over..

Salmon jumping upstream in the river
Lotic Communities & Animals

A running water environment offers numerous microhabitats for many types of animals. Similar to plants, animals in lotic..

An artistic depiction of a human embryo
Growth and Development of a Human Baby

Upon fertilization, a zygote forms and develops into an embryo. This tutorial elaborates on the growth and development f..

Human gastrointestinal tract
Human Biology – Food and Digestion

This tutorial recognizes the importance of food as a source of energy that will fuel many biological processes. A good d..

New Zealand Flora & Fauna
Ecology & Biodiversity: New Zealand Flora & Fauna

New Zealand is known for its unique biodiversity, caused by its remarkable geography and geologic history. Breaking away..

Ploidy
Polyploidy

Humans are diploid creatures. This means that for every chromosome in the body, there is another one to match it. Howeve..

Related Articles...

No related articles found

See all Related Topics