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Project Noah Nature School
Acropora palmata
Photo take at -35 ft on a coral reef, beautiful colony right on top of a high formation getting the best light possible. This species of coral is structurally complex with many large branches. The coral structure closely resembles that of elk antlers. These branches create habitats for many other reef species such as lobsters, parrot-fish, snapper shrimps and other reef fish. Elkhorn coral colonies are incredibly fast growing with an average growth rate of 5 to 10 cm per year and can eventually grow up to 3.7 mt in diameter. The color of this coral species ranges from brown to a yellowish-brown. This color is a result of the symbiotic zooxanthellae that live inside the tissue of this coral species. Zooxanthellae is a type of algae which photosynthesizes to provide the coral with nutrients. Wikipedia.
Elkhorn corals are found primarily in shallow waters with temperatures between 26 and 30 °Con coral reefs from Florida all the Caribbean sea , Central America to north Brazil.
This is an endangered species.
Spotted on Dec 11, 2012
Submitted on Dec 11, 2012
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