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What is coral? The answer is coral is an animal. This cutaway diagram of a coral polyp shows the location of its photosynthetic algae, or zooxanthellae, which coral needs to survive.
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What Is Coral? A Coral Polyp and Zooxanthellae

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Close-up photograph of translucent coral polyps, showing the symbiotic algae living inside.
Slideshow

Zooxanthellae and Coral Bleaching

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The fringe of a white Christmas tree worm.
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White Christmas Tree Worm

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Colorful Christmas tree worms
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A Forest of Christmas Tree Worms

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The staghorn coral is listed as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. It is one of 22 coral species listed.
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Staghorn Coral

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A close-up photo of dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), living in the Baltic Sea.
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Dead Man’s Fingers

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This purple urchin Paleopneustes cristatus is seldom seen by itself, and can be found in groups of hundreds.
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Purple Sea Urchin

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In this photo of a shallow coral reef in the Pacific there are three species of forams. Their colors come from the symbiotic algae that live inside the foram shells.
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Shallow Coral Reef Foraminifers

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Corals, sponges, and algae are the major components of most coral reef communities as shown in this picture.
Overview

Corals and Coral Reefs

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Colorful fishes throng a reef in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Slideshow

Bizarre and Beautiful Coral Reef Animals

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