Massive starlet coral
Siderastrea siderea
Where at Shedd?
Wild Reef
| Diet | Very small animals and plant-like organisms called zooplankton and phytoplankton, organic matter, photosynthesis with symbiotic zooxanthellae |
|---|---|
| Size | Colony expands over domes up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) across and 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall |
| Type | Corals & Anemones |
| Range | Found in many reef environments in the West-Central Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea |
| Habitat | Found in many reef environments in the western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea |
Did you know?
- The massive starlet coral in this exhibit was collected under permit in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. National marine sanctuaries protect natural and historical marine resources through education, research and management.
- Although they sometimes look like plants. Like other animals they find their own food and they move freely (even if it’s just at the beginning of their lifecycle).
- Want to help coral in the wild? Even if you live thousands of miles away, there are things we can do to help like working with your community to conserve water. By using less, we limit the amount of pollution entering our waterways.
- Coral reefs cover less than 1 percent of the ocean floor, but they serve as home to over twenty-five percent of all ocean animals.