6 Stunning Plants and Sea Creatures on the Ocean Floor - Page 3 of 8

Open Brain Coral

It’s clear how open brain coral got its name: The invertebrate—known scientifically as Trachyphyllia—exhibits a flabello-meandroid growth pattern in which curling valleys and fleshy walls are visible on its exterior. A type of stony coral, open brain coral are near threatened due to the reduction of coral reef habitat and harvesting for aquariums. This species of coral is small, less than eight inches, and is both solitary and colonial. It may be found among other types of free-living coral. It is found in the warm, shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific.