Mushroom Coral

The fish that grow and live on coral reefs are a significant food source for over a billion people worldwide.
Properly managed reefs can yield, on average, 15 tons of fish and other seafood per square kilometer each year. However, destructive fishing practices — such as dynamite fishing, cyanide fishing, and trawling — and unsustainable fishing are threatening the world’s coral ecosystems and limiting the long-term productivity of reef-related fisheries.

Image:
Close-up of opening mouth of single polyped Fungia sp., commonly known as
mushroom coral. Live coral specimen in artificial seawater imaged with Olympus MVX
Fluorescent Macroscope and filters from Chroma Technology.

Credit:
James H. Nicholson, NOAA.