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Eating jellyfish mushroom coral
2 photo
Unlike most of the coral reefs in the composition of each of which can consist of up to hundreds of polyps, Fungia scruposa prefer to dwell alone. The size of the coral can reach 30 centimeters
The first pictures of how coral eat jellyfish, have been made in the Red Sea while diving biologist at the University of Tel Aviv (Tel Aviv University) and Bar-Ilan University (Bar Illan University).
Usually, corals feed on small plankton, whose size is 0, 2-0, 4 mm, and "refuel" energy by means of photosynthesis of some species of algae symbionts living inside the coral.
However, in March 2009, when Israeli scientists after the seasonal rise of deep waters observed a large number of clusters of jellyfish species Aurelia Aurita, researchers could not believe my eyes - a few large mushroom corals Fungia scruposa (family Funglidae) enthusiastically ate these jellyfish.
a) the cluster A. Aurita in water; although close relatives of corals, anemones, jellyfish sometimes eat (other species), corals themselves ever in anything like were not observed; c) shot near the polyp swallows F. Scruposa jellyfish. Scale bars are 10, 5 and 2 cm, respectively (photo Omri Bronstein / Gal Dishon).
Source:
Unlike most of the coral reefs in the composition of each of which can consist of up to hundreds of polyps, Fungia scruposa prefer to dwell alone. The size of the coral can reach 30 centimeters
The first pictures of how coral eat jellyfish, have been made in the Red Sea while diving biologist at the University of Tel Aviv (Tel Aviv University) and Bar-Ilan University (Bar Illan University).
Usually, corals feed on small plankton, whose size is 0, 2-0, 4 mm, and "refuel" energy by means of photosynthesis of some species of algae symbionts living inside the coral.
However, in March 2009, when Israeli scientists after the seasonal rise of deep waters observed a large number of clusters of jellyfish species Aurelia Aurita, researchers could not believe my eyes - a few large mushroom corals Fungia scruposa (family Funglidae) enthusiastically ate these jellyfish.
a) the cluster A. Aurita in water; although close relatives of corals, anemones, jellyfish sometimes eat (other species), corals themselves ever in anything like were not observed; c) shot near the polyp swallows F. Scruposa jellyfish. Scale bars are 10, 5 and 2 cm, respectively (photo Omri Bronstein / Gal Dishon).
Source:
