Wildlife
Corals and sea anemones are related to jellyfish. They live fixed to the seabed instead of swimming free. Sea anemones usually live as single animals in isolation, whilst most corals live in colonies - formed when new polyps bud off the initial founder. Hard corals build a limestone skeleton so that as nearby colonies expand and grow a reef is formed. Both corals and sea anemones catch their prey with stinging tentacles. Sea anemones are able to catch larger prey than corals can.
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Superb spawning
One of nature's greatest mass spawnings occurs on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
One of nature's greatest mass spawnings occurs on Australia's Great Barrier Reef
Colourless corals
Rising sea temperatures force corals to expel their pigmented algae, causing coral bleaching.
Rising sea temperatures force corals to expel their pigmented algae, causing coral bleaching.
Coral turf wars
Coral reefs are so cramped that different corals constantly fight one another for space.
Coral reefs are so cramped that different corals constantly fight one another for space.
Night glow corals
Corals fluoresce at night displaying beautiful colours.
Corals fluoresce at night displaying beautiful colours.
Reef teamwork
Corals are a fascinating relationship between animals and plants.
Corals are a fascinating relationship between animals and plants.
The Corals and sea anemones can be found in a number of locations including: Great Barrier Reef. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
Anthozoa is a class within the phylum Cnidaria. Unlike other cnidarians, anthozoans do not have a medusa stage in their development. Instead, they release sperm and eggs that form a planula, which attaches to some substrate on which the cnidarian grows. Some anthozoans can also reproduce asexually through budding. More than 6,100 species have been described.
The name comes from the Greek words άνθος (ánthos; "flower") and ζώα (zóa; "animals"), hence anthozoa = "flower animals", a reference to the floral appearance of their perennial polyp stage.
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