Favites colemani, commonly known as Favites Colemani, is a species of stony coral belonging to the family Merulinidae. This coral species is characterized by its distinctive morphology and ecological significance within its habitat.
Description & Characteristics
Favites colemani is a robust and massive coral species that can form large colonies. Its corallites, the individual polyps that make up the colony, are typically large and well-defined. The coral’s surface is often covered in a network of ridges and grooves, giving it a textured appearance. The polyps are arranged in a circular or oval shape, and the coral’s color can vary depending on the environment and the presence of symbiotic algae.
Habitat and Occurrence
Favites Colemani is commonly found in shallow, tropical waters, typically in depths ranging from the surface to approximately 30 meters. This species is known to inhabit a variety of marine zones, including coral reefs, lagoons, and seaward slopes. Favites Colemani thrives in clear, warm waters with ample sunlight, which is essential for the symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae algae.
Taxonomy
Favites colemani belongs to the Class: Hexacorallia, Order: Scleractinia, and Family: Merulinidae. This classification places it among the stony corals, which are characterized by their hard, calcium carbonate skeletons.
Feeding
Favites Colemani, like other stony corals, relies on a combination of feeding strategies for sustenance. These include capturing plankton, primarily zooplankton, from the surrounding water column and deriving energy from the photosynthetic activity of symbiotic zooxanthellae algae. The zooxanthellae live within the coral’s tissues and provide a significant portion of its nutritional needs through the process of photosynthesis, which requires sunlight.
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