Grooved Brain Coral
By Keri Murrell
Grooved Brain Corals are marine invertebrates. They are unmistakable as they are roughly spherical and resemble a human brain with their grooved brain folds. The grooves further resemble a labyrinth, hence the scientific name Diploria labryrinthiformis. Corals consist of many ‘polyps’, genetically identical animals linked together like lots of tiny sea anemones. They secrete calcium carbonate to form a stony mass hence this coral is classified as ‘stony’. This makes them an important reef building species as they can live for hundreds of years.
