Button polyps

Biology

This coral forms beautiful colonies of bright colours. Its polyps resemble buttons, with tentacles all around, in different colours than the oral disc. Its colonies spread to completely cover a rock with colourful circular patterns.

Conservation

Coral reefs around the world are in danger. The major threat to corals is global climate change, high temperatures and ocean acidification. Localized threats to corals include fisheries, invasive species, dynamite fishing, chemical fishing, pollution, sedimentation, and human recreation and tourism activities.