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Top Zooxanthellae Article

Coral Zooxanthellae

Coral Zooxanthellae

by Blane Perun

Reef building corals, called hermatypic corals, depend on coral zooxanthellae. Because of this the photic zone determines their ultimate growth. Because of the relationship between corals and coral zooxanthellae, corals have been successful and developed throughout the world’s tropical waters... more »

    Zooxanthellae Symbiosis Guide

Zooxanthellae Symbiosis

Zooxanthellae Symbiosis

Zooxanthellae symbiosis begins by microscopic algae (zooxanthellae) entering the coral through the coral’s water column. Technically, the coral ingests the algae, where the next step in typical ingestion is usually digestion. The latter does not occur in zooxanthellae symbiosis, and instead the algae get to work… more »

Featured Article

Zooxanthellae Algae
Zooxanthellae Algae
by Blane Perun

It is extremely common to find colonies of zooxanthellae algae living within hard and stony corals. In fact, almost every type of coral species has a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae algae, which provides the coral with critical nutrients and energies it needs for its... more »

Question of the Day

Zooxanthellae
Zooxanthellae
by Blane Perun

Because the zooxanthellae need sunlight to kick start photosynthesis, zooxanthellae are almost exclusively found in the skin of sea animals where they are able to access the most amount of light. It only takes a small number of zooxanthellae to originally permeate the body of a sea animal to quickly populate its tissue. The reproduction process... more »

Author Zooxanthellae Spotlight

Symbiotic Zooxanthellae Facts
Symbiotic zooxanthellae are extremely common to the coral and anemone community in warm tropical waters. Under a microscope, symbiotic zooxanthellae are seen as golden-brown algae floating in groups known as colonies. Although corals and anemones are not the only animals that contain symbiotic zooxanthellae, they are the most common. Other... more »