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A leather coral on the side of the reef.

A leather coral on the side of the reef.
A leather coral on the side of the reef.
A leather coral on the side of the reef.
A leather coral on the side of the reef.
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144271
Hughen, Konrad A.
A leather coral on the side of the reef.
Still Image
05/22/2008
graphics/redsea_konrad/IMG_0384.jpg
2009 Calendar caption:
An isolated leather coral, a ?soft? coral that doesn's build a stony skeleton, clings to a rocky outcrop at the edge of the reef, finding a location without close neighbors. Its individual polyps are tightly curled, but open up in the currents to filter-feed on drifting plankton.
Image of The Day caption:
At the edge of a coral reef in the Red Sea, an isolated leather coral clings to a rocky outcrop. It's individual polyps, tightly curled in the photo, open up in currents to filter-feed on drifting plankon. WHOI scientists are studying pristine reefs in the waters off Saudi Arabia, assessing their health and biodiversity, connectivity, and effects of past and current climate change. Photos of these reefs are featured in the WHOI 2009 calendar, now available at the online WHOI store.
Photo by Konrad Hughen
© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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