Black coral tree (Antipathes sp.) with Fairy basslets (Pseudanthias squamipinnis), A large bushy black coral tree in a depth of about 40 m on a reef s

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Black coral tree (Antipathes sp.) with Fairy basslets (Pseudanthias squamipinnis), A large bushy black coral tree in a depth of about 40 m on a reef slope. Unlike hard corals, calcium carbonate is not present in the skeleton. Instead, the internal axis is composed of a tough dark protein called horn. Black corals are usually found on deeper parts of reefs and on vertical walls. Anilao, Manila, Philippines

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Size: 3872px × 2592px
Photo credit: © Mark Spencer/AUSCAPE / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: actinopterygii, animal, anthias, auscape, basslet, black, cf., cheirospilos, coral, coralfish, dimorphic, dimorphism, fairy, fauna, goldfish, harem, hermaphrodite, lessepsian, life, lyretail, marine, mark, migration, orange, pantropical, perciformes, protogynous, pseudanthias, reef-, reefs, scalefin, sea, serranidae, sex-change, sex-changing, sexual, sexually, species, spencer, tropical, tuka, underwater, wildlife