Branching Fire Coral

Description:

Photo take a t -10 mt in a Caribbean reef near the coast. Fire corals have a bright yellow-green and brown skeletal covering and are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical waters. They appear in small brush-like growths on rocks and coral. Divers often mistake fire coral for seaweed, and accidental contact is common. Upon contact, an intense pain can be felt that can last from two days to two weeks. The very small nematocysts on fire corals contain tentacles that protrude from numerous surface pores (similar to jellyfish stings). In addition, fire corals have a sharp, calcified external skeleton that can scrape the skin.Wikipwdia

Habitat:

Fire corals are found on reefs in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.They form extensive outcrops on projecting parts of the reef where the tidal currents are strong. They are also abundant on upper reef slopes and in lagoons,and occur down to depths of 40 meters. Wikipedia