Goniopora Coral

Goniopora Coral Latest News

Recently, scientists have reported that a combination of extreme heat stress and a rare Black band disease has wiped out 75 per cent of Goniopora coral colonies at a site on the Great Barrier Reef.

About Goniopora Coral

• It is also known as flowerpot or daisy coral, is a type of hard, soft coral belonging to the Poritidae family.
• It is appreciated for its beautiful appearance as it possesses unique polyps that resemble flower petals.
• Appearance: Colonies consist of small branching columns, usually oval in transverse section.
• Size: Goniopora polyps can range from a few to several centimeters in diameter.
• Habitat: It typically inhabits lagoons and turbid reefs and are considered thermally tolerant.
• Goniopora are a photosynthetic coral and derive some of their nutritional requirements from light.
• Symbiotic Relationship: They have a symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellates called zooxanthellae that live in the flesh of the coral.
• Goniopora can thrive in a wide range of lighting.
• Feeding: It is a predatory coral, meaning it obtains some of its nutrients by capturing small organisms in the water.

What is Black Band Disease?

• It is a bacterial necrotic infection that invades living coral.
• It forms a black band that crosses the infected coral, usually killing the colony.
• It is common in Caribbean reefs and rare in Australian waters.
• It is often linked to pollution or nutrient runoff.

Source: DTE

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