Coral

Turbinaria sp., commonly known as scroll coral, cup coral, or pagoda coral, is a genus of colonial stony corals widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific region. These corals are recognized for their unique cup-shaped, scroll-like, or plate-forming structures, which often resemble vases, funnels, or layered formations.

The Scroll Builders of the Reef

Acropora is a genus of small polyp stony coral in the phylum Cnidaria. Some of its species are known as table coral, elkhorn coral, and staghorn coral. Acropora species are some of the major reef corals responsible for building the immense calcium carbonate substructure that supports the thin living skin of a reef. Acropora sp. is commonly found in shallow reef environments that are bright and have moderate to high water motion. Acropora corals are commonly called “staghorn coral,” and some colonies with flat tops are called “table coral.” Besides the differences in the overall shape of the colony, the branches are usually cylindrical with corallites surrounding them. A corallite is a tiny cup about 0.5 cm in diameter. A distinctive feature of this species is the axial corallite, which is larger than the other corallites. It grows upward at the tip of the branch, while new corallites bud along its sides. The base of the coral attaches to rock or a plug and encrusts to increase stability. From this base, new branches can also grow outward. Acropora Coral – The Architects of Coral Reefs