How do corals eat?

Asked by: Mary Leonard, Chelmsford

Corals are communal animals related to sea anemones and jellyfish. Like their cousins, they catch tiny animals (called zooplankton) using stinging tentacles that surround the single body opening that acts as both a mouth and anus.

Many corals also contain symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae. The zooxanthellae allow them to get some extra energy through photosynthesis.

Read more:

• How deep can coral live?
• Can coral reefs recover from bleaching?

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