What are coral polyps
Answers
Answer:
Coral reefs are built by and made up of thousands of tiny animals—coral “polyps”—that are related to anemones and jellyfish. Polyps can live individually (like many mushroom corals do) or in large colonies that comprise an entire reef structure.
A polyp has a sac-like body and an opening, or mouth, encircled by stinging tentacles called nematocysts or cnidae. The polyp uses calcium and carbonate ions from seawater to build itself a hard, cup-shaped skeleton made of calcium carbonate (limestone). This limestone skeleton protects the soft, delicate body of the polyp. Coral polyps are usually nocturnal, meaning that they stay inside their skeletons during the day. At night, polyps extend their tentacles to feed.Most coral polyps have clear bodies. Their skeletons are white, like human bones. Generally, their brilliant color comes from the zooxanthellae (tiny algae) living inside their tissues. Several million zooxanthellae live and produce pigments in just one square inch of coral. These pigments are visible through the clear body of the polyp and are what gives coral its beautiful color.
Answer:
Coral polyps are the individual corals that are found on the calcium carbonate exoskeletons of their ancestors. Corals can be found in all the oceans but the biggest coral reefs are mostly found in the clear, shallow waters of the tropics and subtropics.