Polyp Rock

Palythoa grandis

• Group: Coral

This colonial zoanthid spreads a crust of fleshy polyps across coral reefs, settling mainly in subtidal areas. The polyps share a common mat of tissue, opening to capture plankton and trap food from the current.

Taxonomy: Animalia › Cnidaria › Hexacorallia › Zoantharia › Sphenopidae › Palythoa

Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 288461.