Cabbage Corals

Description:

Montipora is a genus of small polyp stony coral in the phylum Cnidaria. Depending on the species and location, Montipora may grow as plates or ridges, appearing to some as a bowl or flower. Undisturbed, the plates expand radially and may encrust over surrounding rocks, shells or debris. These corals are extremely common on reefs in the Red Sea, the western Indian Ocean and the southern Pacific Ocean, appearing as far north as Hong Kong. There are seventy five known species. Members in this genus are usually thin corals that form leafy, plate-like, encrusting or semi-massive colonies. The colours vary greatly. The calices are less than 2 mm in diameter and are usually well separated by the coenosteum. The skeleton is lacy, the walls are indistinct and the septa, when present are small and in 2 cycles. The columella is rarely developed and the corallites are inconspicuous and appear empty as the polyps are very small. Like other corals, Montipora corals are colonies of individuals, known as polyps, which are about 2 mm across and share tissue and a nerve net. The polyps can withdraw into the coral in response to movement or disturbance by possible predators, but slightly protrude when undisturbed. The polyps usually extend further at night to capture zooplankton from the water. These corals have zooxanthella, a symbiotic algae that lives inside the cells of the polyps and produce energy for the animals through photosynthesis.

Habitat:

Montipora genus corals are most common in shallow reef environments with bright sunlight and moderate wave motion.

Notes:

Location map shows its in Indonesia but it should be in Malaysia