Phylum Cnidaria (hydroids, jellyfish, corals, sea anemones, black corals and gorgonians)
Diploria sp.
0 to 100+ ft
A number of species of brain corals are found in the waters of the Cayman Islands. All grow into large colonies, or "heads", which can be flattened or dome-like. Usually green in color, the surface bears a distinctive pattern of ridges and grooves that remind some people of the human brain. During the daytime, the polyps are retracted, giving the coral a hard stony appearance. At night however, the polyps protrude to feed, transforming the brain coral into an animated structure that is a photographer's delight. Brain corals are found throughout the Caribbean and are abundant in the Cayman Islands. They grow in a variety of shallow habitats, including lagoons, shallow reefs, sea grass beds and even mangrove stands.
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