Acropora granulosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acropora granulosa |
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Acropora granulosa is a type of coral that looks like a tree. It belongs to a group of corals called acroporid corals. You can find this coral in warm, shallow ocean waters. It lives in places like the Red Sea, Australia, and parts of the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. Scientists first described this coral in 1860. Today, it is considered "near threatened" by conservation groups. This means it might be at risk of disappearing in the future.
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What Does Acropora granulosa Look Like?
This coral grows in large groups called colonies. Each colony forms a flat, horizontal plate made of branches. These plates can be up to 1 meter (about 3 feet) wide. The branches are spaced out evenly. They have short, slanted smaller branches called branchlets.
Each branchlet has tiny cup-shaped structures called corallites. These are where the coral polyps live. The corallites on Acropora granulosa are shaped like small pockets. This coral often appears pale blue, cream, or grey. It's quite unique, and there aren't many other corals that look exactly like it.
Where Does Acropora granulosa Live?
Acropora granulosa is found in many warm ocean areas. These include the northern and southwest Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. It also lives near Australia, in the East China Sea, and around Japan. You can find it across the central and western Pacific Ocean and the central Indo-Pacific region.
This coral prefers tropical shallow reefs. It lives at depths of about 8 to 40 meters (26 to 130 feet) underwater.
Why Is Acropora granulosa Near Threatened?
The IUCN Red List says Acropora granulosa is a "near threatened" species. This means its population is likely shrinking. It is also listed under Appendix II of CITES. CITES is an agreement that controls the trade of endangered plants and animals.
We don't know the exact number of these corals. However, many things threaten them. These threats include the worldwide loss of coral reefs. Rising ocean temperatures can cause coral bleaching, which harms corals. Climate change and human activities also play a role. The crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), which eats coral, is another threat. Diseases can also affect Acropora granulosa.
How Was Acropora granulosa Discovered?
This coral was first described by a scientist named Milne Edwards in 1860. He originally named it Madrepora granulosa.
