lly settle on the ocean bottom and form large, sedentary colonies. A single polyp may eventually become as large as a saucer or stay as small as the head of a pin. All polyps start off small and some single polyps become large. Billions of polyps working together, generation after generation, create one of natures most spectacular and enduring wonders: a coral reef.A coral polyp is made up primarily of clear tentacles and a mouth. It feeds by waving its tentacles through the surrounding water to attract tiny wandering animals called zooplankton, which the polyp stuns with stinging cells located on its tentacles. When a polyp is feeding or defending its territory, it stretches itself out of its cup and spreads its tentacles like the branches of a tree. At rest, it pulls its tentacles into the cup and closes its mouth tightly. (Corals, Architects of the Reef, 1997)Corals, up until the mid-19th century were incorrectly classified as plants. Corals are animals that collect their own food instead of producing it themselves as most plants do. Corals do have within their systems an assortment of microscopic plants called zooxanthellae, which do use sunlight to photosynthesize. (Cousteau, 1985) According to Cousteau, the coral polyps give these brown in color algae a safe haven from predators. The algal in return, is believed to provide James W. Hyde BIOL 1040the polyps with a natural sunscreen and additional oxygen. The algae also provides carbon compounds to the coral, which are used to supplement its zooplankton diet.Coral reefs, for the most part require clear water, bright light, oceanic salinties, and water temperatures that average approximately 70 degrees. Most polyps, rest during the day, ...
