Asian Diver – March 2018

Types of

Coral Reefs

1 A coral breaks

off from the main

colony due to a

grazing turtle

2 The fragment

continues to grow

3 Over time, the

fragment will multiply

It’s a tough life for a baby coral, having to contend with encroaching
corals, algae, and grazing animals with coral-crushing beaks, such
as parrotfish. As such, asexual reproduction is an important aspect
of coral biology as well.

ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION

Fringing Reefs

Atolls

Patch Reefs

Barrier Reefs

IMAGES: Shutterstock