Sarcophyton sp. Lesson 1834

leather coral

The leather coral, Sarcophyton sp., can be green, yellowish or light brown. The polyps are usually white. It has a rubbery texture and can be slimy. Sarcophyton feeds both by day and by night. It is a filter feeder. The extended polyps seek tiny particles of algae and organic matter. Sarcophyton hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae. The leather coral can colonise large areas. It can also produce chemicals which are toxic to stony corals and other marine life.