Mat Zoanthid

Zoanthus pulchellus

• Group: Coral

Hundreds of tiny polyps spread across reef rock as a single living mat, each one a small tentacled disc no bigger than a fingertip. The mat zoanthid favours shallow subtidal coral reefs, where it shares sunlight with hard corals and slowly carpets any open surface it can reach.

Taxonomy: Animalia › Cnidaria › Hexacorallia › Zoantharia › Zoanthidae › Zoanthus

Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 288840.