What Is a Coral?

Plant

• Each coral polyp is a home to a single celled marine plant (zooxanthellae), which provides the coral with energy.
• Some strains are resilient to certain coral diseases, making the corals stronger to fight off disease.

Animal

• Classified as a Cnidarian, the individual coral can look similar to a sea anemone
• The tentacles are arranged around their mouths, the only opening in the organism.
• Microbiotic Community
• Living as a bacterial “micro biome” on the surface, this mucous provides a protective immunity layer.