Why does brain coral have a maze-like pattern?

Its skeleton grows in meandering valleys with a central ridge (columella) and toothed walls, creating the brain-like grooved surface that gives the coral its common name.

Does brain coral compete with other corals?

Yes. It can grow "sweeper tentacles" up to about 90 mm long — far longer than its normal tentacles — to sting and damage the tissue of encroaching neighboring corals.

How does brain coral get its food?

Most of its energy comes from photosynthetic algae living in its tissue, supplemented by plankton captured with its polyps at night.

Brain Coralノウサンゴ

Platygyra daedaleaLC— Least Concern

Brain coral forms massive, dome-shaped colonies etched with maze-like ridges that resemble a brain, and can be surprisingly aggressive toward neighboring corals, lashing out with extra-long stinging tentacles to defend its space on the reef.

Brain Coral (reference photo) — Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification: Scleractinia / Merulinidae Source
Distribution: Found throughout the Indo-Pacific from Madagascar and East Africa through the Red Sea to Australia, Indonesia, Japan, and the South China Sea, inhabiting reefs from the shallow subtidal zone down to about 30 m. Source

Did You Know?

In territorial disputes with neighboring corals, it extends elongated "sweeper tentacles" up to 90 mm long — roughly 15 times normal length — armed with stinging cells to damage rival tissue. Source
Its maze-like, valley-patterned skeleton — resembling a brain, hence the common name "brain coral" — is distinguished from closely related species by features such as the shape of its central ridge (columella). Source

Where to See This Species

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Verified individual animals and facilities will be added as official information becomes available.

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

ここで扱うPlatygyra daedaleaはIUCNでLCとされる。

Habitat

熱帯・亜熱帯の浅いサンゴ礁。

Threats

海水温上昇
白化
沿岸環境の悪化

Conservation & Breeding Efforts

サンゴ礁の保全
飼育展示による生態理解

Sources

en.wikipedia.org

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FAQ

Why does brain coral have a maze-like pattern?: Its skeleton grows in meandering valleys with a central ridge (columella) and toothed walls, creating the brain-like grooved surface that gives the coral its common name. Source
Does brain coral compete with other corals?: Yes. It can grow "sweeper tentacles" up to about 90 mm long — far longer than its normal tentacles — to sting and damage the tissue of encroaching neighboring corals. Source
How does brain coral get its food?: Most of its energy comes from photosynthetic algae living in its tissue, supplemented by plankton captured with its polyps at night. Source

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org