Bubble Coral
Dauin, Oct 2012.
This is another example of Bubble Coral this time it has an Orang Utan Crab (Achaeus japonicus) as tenant.
Bubble coral characterizes by large water filled bubbles (vesicles) typically about the size and shape of grapes. While typically smooth, the vesicles can also look asymmetrical especially when they are only partially inflated. The color can range from white, to cream, to shades of gray or green and is semi-translucent. The vesicles cover a skeleton which has large sharp sepia protruding upwards. The bubbles are inflated during the day and deflate at night. When deflated, the feeding tentacles and mouth become apparent and the sepia can be observed under the flesh of the coral.
"Plerogyra sinuosa" is a species of "bubble coral". It has grape-sized bubbles which increase their surface area according to the amount of light available: they are larger during the day, but smaller during the night, when tentacles reach out to capture food. This species requires low light and a gentle water flow.
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