horny coral

Horny corals, also known as gorgonians, are a type of invertebrate marine organism belonging to the class Anthozoa. These animals are characterized by skeletons that can be stony, horny, or leathery. Horny corals, specifically the Gorgonacea order, comprise about 1,200 species and are often found in shallow tropical waters. They can have ribbonlike or branching forms and include species like sea fans and precious coral, which is used in jewelry.1

The basic body of a coral animal is a polyp, a hollow cylinder with a mouth surrounded by tentacles used for gathering food. Corals reproduce both sexually, releasing eggs and sperm into the water, and asexually through budding, where new polyps grow attached to the original. As colonies grow, older polyps die, but their skeletons remain, contributing to reef structures.12