Maze Coral
Maze Coral Detail
A Dark Mantis inhabits this Maze Coral.
| Name: | Maze Coral |
| Scientific Name: | Meandrina meandrites |
| Family: | Hard Corals |
| Taxonomic: | Meandrinidae |
| ID Group: | Corals, Algae |
| Size: | up to 3 ft. |
| Depth Range: | Various depths (0 – 130 ft.) |
| Sightings: | Seen sometimes |
This Coral grows into thick plates or dome-shaped heads with narrow, deep valleys between the ridges, giving it a maze-like appearance. A thin line often runs along the tops of the ridges. Its color ranges from light brown to dark brown.
Maze Coral offers shelter for small reef animals. Its large polyps extend at night to catch zooplankton (tiny drifting animals such as larvae and small crustaceans) with sticky tentacles. It is now critically endangered due to diseases like Stony Coral Tissue Loss and bleaching.