This is a species of hard coral (Platygyra lamellina: 100 cms.), which forms large round boulders - or flat plates as in this instance. The corallites are long and form maze-like sinuous lines, the appearance of which gives rise to its common name of brain coral. It has a widespread distribution in the Into-Pacific region, usually on the slopes of coral reefs and at depths not exceeding 20 species is becoming rarer, as a result of the general degradation of reefs due to climate change and ocean acidification. The IUCN Red List indicates that it is near threatened. Egyptian Red Sea.

---

Size: 3703px × 3096px
Location: Near Hurghada, Egypt
Photo credit: © Terence Dormer / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: adventure, brain, change, climate, coral, creation, degradation, diving, egypt, hard, iucn, lamellina, life, list, marine, natural, platygyra, red, reef, scuba, sea, selection, stoney, threatened, trd5143, underwater