Dendrogyra
Size – They can grow as large as 10ft, but are typically found to be much smaller than that; averaging around 6-8ft.
Pillar Coral is typically a tan colored species and when exposed to sunlight, reveal a very fur-like appearance when their tentacles are visible.
These hard corals can be found in the Western Atlantic Ocean as well as the Caribbean Sea.
Some islands in the Bahamas, as well as the North Coast of Jamaica maintain large colonies and healthy abundances of this coral still.
While they do feed on Zooplankton, they mostly utilize symbiotic zooxanthellae, which is basically their means of photosynthesizing energy in the forming of carbon compounds for the colony.
They are immobile, but can sometimes be seen feeding during the day, unlike other species of coral.
Pillar Coral is the only species that belongs to the Genus, Dendrogyra.
They are now considered to be vulnerable due to climate change, pollution, and over-collection.
