Ivory bush coral, endoskeleton

Description:

The colonies of this hard coral can grow up to 3 feet. When alive, they are red-brown in coral; when they die, they bleach white.

Habitat:

Topsail Island beach

Notes:

This coral is a U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service species of concern about which the U.S. Government’s National Marine Fisheries Service has worries regarding status and threats, but for which insufficient information is available to indicate a need to list the species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.