The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 1000
Hard corals, or stony corals (Scleractinia), are the main builders of coral reefs. They consist of tiny polyps that produce calcium carbonate skeletons, forming complex reef structures over time that support diverse marine life. They thrive in warm, shallow waters and depend on a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, microscopic algae that provide energy through photosynthesis and enable reef growth