Scleractinia Collection (page 3)

Juvenile fish swim above a slope of corals in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This remote region is known as the heart of the Coral Triangle and harbors more marine organisms than anywhere else on Earth

Coral polyps feeding, Beqa Lagoon, Fiji

Freakled hawkfish sits on some Acropora coral on a Fijian reef
Freakled hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri) sits on some Acropora coral on a Fijian reef

Coral polyps grow on a reef in Indonesia. This tropical region, within the Coral Triangle, is home to an incredible variety of marine life

Sunlight silhouettes a table coral in Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Sunlight silhouettes a table coral (Acropora sp.) in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This remote, equatorial region is known as the heart of the Coral Triangle

Delicate reef-building corals in Alor, Indonesia
Delicate reef-building corals thrive in shallow water in Alor, Indonesia. This remote region is known for its beautiful reefs and spectacular marine biodiversity

Reef-building corals grow inside Palaus lagoon which is studded with limestone islands. This Micronesian destination is popular among scuba divers and snorkelers due to its spectacular coral reefs

A snorkeler explores a shallow lagoon in a remote part of Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This beautiful region is known as the heart of the Coral Triangle and is a popular destination for scuba divers

Sunlight sparkles through a table coral in Indonesia
Sunlight sparkles through a table coral (Acropora sp.) in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. This tropical region in Indonesia is known for its spectacular coral reefs and high marine biodiversity

Corals compete for space to grow on a reef in Indonesia
Corals compete for space to grow on a reef in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. This part of the Coral Triangle is known for its high marine biodiversity

A slightly bleached staghorn coral colony in the Solomon Islands
A slightly bleached staghorn coral colony grows in shallow water in the Solomon Islands. This Melanesian region is known for its spectacular marine biodiversity

A large table coral grows on a reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia
A large table coral (Acropora sp.) grows on a reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This remote, equatorial region is known as the heart of the Coral Triangle

A crown-of-thorns starfish feeds on a table coral
A crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeds on a table coral on a reef in the Solomon Islands. This region, in the eastern part of the Coral Triangle

Colorful reef-building corals grow on a reef inside Palaus lagoon. Palau is known for its high marine biodiversity and is a popular destination for divers and snorkelers

A snorkeler explores a healthy coral reef in Palaus lagoon

Underside of a table coral, Papua New Guinea
Underside of a table coral (Acropora hyacinthus), Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea

Polyps of a Galaxea coral colony grow on a reef in Indonesia. This tropical region, within the Coral Triangle, is home to an incredible variety of marine life

Hard coral polyps at 3x life size, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

A beautiful coral reef grows near a set of limestone islands in Indonesia
A beautiful coral reef grows near a set of limestone islands in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This remote, equatorial region is known as the heart of the Coral Triangle

Detail of coral polyps growing on a reef in Indonesia
Detail of coral polyps (Diploastrea sp.) growing on a reef in Indonesia. This area is known for its high marine biodiversity

A coral reef grows in shallow water in the Solomon Islands
A colorful coral reef grows in shallow water in the Solomon Islands. This Melanesian region is known for its spectacular marine biodiversity

Mushroom and hard corals in Alor, Indonesia
Mushroom and hard corals thrive in shallow water in Alor, Indonesia. This remote region is known for its beautiful reefs and spectacular marine biodiversity

A diverse array of invertebrates cover a reef in Indonesia
A diverse array of invertebrates cover a healthy reef in Indonesia. This region is home to more marine species than anywhere else on Earth

Foliose corals grow in Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Fragile corals grow in extremely shallow water in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. This part of the Coral Triangle is known for its high marine biodiversity

Fragile corals grow in shallow water in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This region is known as the heart of the Coral Triangle and houses the highest marine biodiversity on Earth

Reticulate humbugs gather under stone coral, Papua New Guinea
Reticulate humbugs (Dascyllus reticulatus) gather under stone coral, Fathers reef, Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea

A healthy coral reef grows near limestone islands in Raja Ampat
A healthy and diverse coral reef grows near limestone islands in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This remote region is known as the heart of the Coral Triangle

A vibrant and healthy coral reef in Komodo National Park, Indonesia
A vibrant and healthy coral reef thrives in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. This tropical area in the western Pacific harbors an extraordinary array of marine organisms

A diver swims above a healthy coral reef in Indonesia
A diver swims above a healthy coral reef in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. This tropical region in Indonesia is known for its spectacular coral reefs and high marine biodiversity

Staghorn corals thrive on a reef in the Solomon Islands
Staghorn corals thrive on a healthy reef in the Solomon Islands. This part of Melanesia is known for its high marine biodiversity and is a popular destination for divers and snorkelers

A brain coral and gorgonians grow off Turneffe Atoll in Belize
A brain coral and gorgonians grow in shallow water off Turneffe Atoll in Belize. This part of Central America is well known for its warm, clear waters and beautiful coral reefs

Fragile corals grow in Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Fragile corals grow in extremely shallow water in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. This part of the Coral Triangle is known for its high marine biodiversity

A mushroom coral grows on a reef in Indonesia
A mushroom coral (Fungia sp.) grows on a reef in Indonesia. This family of corals does not fuse to the seafloor. They live independently and can be moved about

A mushroom coral fluoresces as UV light is shown upon it
A mushroom coral (Fungia sp.) fluoresces as UV light is shown upon it. Why many marine organisms fluoresce is unknown

Reef-building corals thrive on a reef in the Solomon Islands
Reef-building corals thrive on a healthy reef in the Solomon Islands. This part of Melanesia is known for its high marine biodiversity and is a popular destination for divers and snorkelers

Soft corals thrive in shallow water in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This remote region is known for its beautiful reefs and spectacular marine biodiversity

Corals grow on a shallow reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This beautiful and remote region is known for its spectacular reefs and high marine biodiversity

A coral reef grows near the shore of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, Melanesia

Delicate corals grow near the island of Flores in Indonesia
Delicate corals grow on a shallow, healthy reef near the island of Flores in Indonesia. This beautiful region is known for its spectacular reefs and high marine biodiversity

A fragile coral reef grows in shallow water in the Solomon Islands. This Melanesian region is known for its spectacular marine biodiversity

A beautiful coral reef grows in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. This tropical region in Indonesia is known for its spectacular coral reefs and high marine biodiversity

A staghorn coral colony grows in shallow water in the Solomon Islands. This Melanesian region is known for its spectacular marine biodiversity

A diverse array of reef-building corals in Raja Ampat, Indonesia
A diverse array of reef-building corals grow in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This beautiful region is known for its spectacular reefs and high marine biodiversity

Soft corals thrive on a healthy reef in the Solomon Islands. This part of Melanesia is known for its high marine biodiversity and is a popular destination for divers and snorkelers

A coral colony grows in shallow water in the Solomon Islands
A colorful coral colony grows in shallow water in the Solomon Islands. This Melanesian region is known for its spectacular marine biodiversity

A large boulder coral colony grows in shallow water in the Solomon Islands
A large boulder coral colony (Porites lutea) grows in shallow water in the Solomon Islands. This Melanesian region is known for its spectacular marine biodiversity

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Diving into the vibrant world of scleractinia, we are greeted by a breathtaking sight. A diver cautiously approaches a magnificent colony of Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata), its branching arms reaching towards the sunlight. This hard coral (Porites lutea) is adorned with mesmerizing Christmas-tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus), their colorful plumes swaying in the gentle current. In Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, we discover a shallow coral reef flat teeming with life. Coral polyps of Euphyllia ancora display shades of brown and green, creating an enchanting mosaic beneath the waves. Camouflaged among them is a Common ghostgoby (Pleurosicya mossambica), blending seamlessly into its surroundings on a Plesiastrea sp. Hard coral colony. Witnessing nature's spectacle, we observe the synchronized spawning of Leaf corals (Pavona decussata). Across Kyushu, Japan in the Pacific Ocean, this phenomenon occurs over vast areas with numerous thriving coral colonies, and is truly an awe-inspiring event that showcases the resilience and vitality of these marine ecosystems. Moving to Kosrae, our attention is captured by a Giant clam (Tridacna gigas) surrounded by Lettuce coral (Turbinaria reniformis). The vivid colors and intricate patterns create an underwater tapestry that captivates all who behold it. Backlit by shimmering sunlight reflecting off the surface waters, Acropora microclados thrives in shallow water habitats. These hard corals paint a picturesque scene as they grow and flourish amidst their watery domain. Venturing to Gulf of Bohai brings us face to face with Sun/Tube corals (Tubastraea sp. ), extending their tentacles to capture passing zooplankton. Their delicate dance reveals nature's ingenious strategies for survival and sustenance.