Blade fire coral

Description:

Fire corals are colonial coral-like organisms that secrete calcareous skeletons. Colonies of Millepora complanata have an encrusting base and thin upright plates or blades growing to a height of about 50 cm. The surface of the blades is smooth and the outer margins irregular, with many stumpy protrusions. This fire coral is pale brown or cream, with white tips to the blades. The feeding and defensive polyps are hair-like and project through fine pores on the surface of the blades. Contact with this fire coral by bare skin can cause a severe stinging sensation.

Habitat:

Spotting from Tori's Reef, Bonaire. Millepora complanata has a widespread distribution in the Caribbean Sea and is relatively common on reefs in shallow water at depths down to about 15 metres (50 ft). It often grows in areas with vigorous water movement and turbid waters, and is tolerant of siltation. This makes sense with Tori's because is an area where water is let inshore and out from the salines via an intake channel.