Page 134 - 2023 eMag Final Draft

Polyp Power

One might assume that such magnificent
buildings were shaped by an underwater
volcanic eruption, or perhaps moulded by the
crashing tides of the ocean. But corals aren't a
type of geological formation; they're actually

living organisms! The motley structures that
form our reefs are the grand exoskeletons
built by minuscule, anemone-like creatures
Cities of known as coral polyps. These polyps are

colonial, which means that they aggregate
and live together in a tight-knit community.
They each excrete a hard calcium carbonate
shell at their base for protection, which, over
The Sea apartment-like superstructure characteristic
thousands of years, eventually forms the

of corals.

Curiously, all polyps in a colony are
genetically identical, experiencing genetic
variation only during spawning season.
During this period, colonies expel gametes
that combine to form free-swimming larvae
known as planulae that are free to explore
Sea Life Sanctuary From striped shrimp cleaning the world, searching for a suitable location
Written by Lee Jun Koi Sr1ScC the crevices to majestic turtles to start their sessile adult lifestyle.
Congratulations! You've discovered the gliding above them, all sorts of
submerged city of Atlantis! Well, the creatures inhabit these reefs. Polyps hunt by protracting their tentacles
You've probably spent many days playing fishy form of it anyway. These colourful The corals' skeletal framework outward, capturing microscopic plankton
at your local beach. Maybe near your corals look straight out of an architect's offers a safe haven for small fish such as copepods, krill, and fish larvae.
hometown or at a nearby getaway from sketchbook. With designs ranging from and mollusks, providing shelter To supplement this, they come equipped
the hustle and bustle of the city. Malaysia precariously stacked tables to giant bulbous from predators. The abundance with stinging cells known as nematocysts,

is known for its pristine coastlines after all! brains, they form the undersea cityscape of algae also serves as a bountiful which explode on contact to deliver a
But if you were to venture further asea, the known as the coral reefs. source of nutrients for many of venom-infused needle into the unfortunate
plain patches of sand would give way to vast the reef's inhabitants. Imagine it recipient, immobilising the prey as they're
outcrops of living rock, their kaleidoscopic Found near clear coastal waters, the reefs as a rent-free apartment complex dragged into the maw of the tiny yet deadly
hues gently glimmering underwater. thrive as a vital ecosystem that a myriad of where you could feast like a king polyp.
Teeming with life, schools of fish weave creatures call home. In fact, coral reefs house every day, and you could see why
through the stony structures that are home a staggering 25% of all marine life , their this combination of safety and
[1]
to the architects of the sea—the corals. inhabitants as vibrant as their surroundings. sustenance thrives with life.

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