Steinkorallen im Aquarium des Zoo Zürich

Stony corals

Scleractinia

Stony corals secrete calcium carbonate and use it to form their solid skeletons. Over many generations, these calcareous skeletons can build up to form large coral reefs.

NE

Red List
Not Evaluated

Stony corals are capable of forming calcium carbonate at their base. As such, they play the leading role in the formation of coral reefs, the most species-rich habitats in the oceans. These are increasingly vulnerable to global warming, sewage, fishing, ocean acidification and direct destruction caused by tourist activities. 

Taxonomy

corals (Anthozoa), stony corals (Scleractinia, approx. 1,700 species)

Habitat

flat, sun-drenched tropical sea shores with temperatures between 20° and 29° Celsius; not at river mouths

Behaviour and ecology

reef-building, forming colonies of thousands of individual polyps; calcareous skeleton

Diet

through photosynthesis by algae (symbiosis), microplankton

Taxonomy

corals (Anthozoa), stony corals (Scleractinia, approx. 1,700 species)

Habitat

flat, sun-drenched tropical sea shores with temperatures between 20° and 29° Celsius; not at river mouths

Behaviour and ecology

reef-building, forming colonies of thousands of individual polyps; calcareous skeleton

Diet

through photosynthesis by algae (symbiosis), microplankton

Back to overview