Summary
Physical Description
Ecology
Life History & Behaviour
Anatomy & Physiology
Evolution & Systematics
Biogeographic Distribution
Conservation & Threats
References & Links | Summary
Tubipora musica is a unique soft coral species that has a red coloured hard skeleton made out of carbonate chlorite spicules that gives shape to tubes that resembles an organ-pipe, hence its common name. Each polyp inhabiting the colony of T. musica emerges from one of those tubes and each one is morphologically characterized by eight feather-like white, green or grey coloured tentacles, which are extended when the animal is feeding and retracted when it is disturbed. They live in shallow reefs but can also be found in depths as deep as 20m. Being zooxantalate, they get their nutrients by photosynthesis but they can also feed on nutrients present in the water column. The organ-pipe coral can be easily spoted on the western pacific. This species is considered near-threated by the IUCN list, being climate change the biggest threat to their success.
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