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Table Coral Reef

This table coral has formed large plate-like structures on this reef. This reef was found off the coast of Egypt in the Red Sea. This coral is a type of Acropora. It is known as a stony coral because of its hard calcium carbonate skeleton. Acropora species are some of the major reef corals responsible for building the substructure that supports the thin living skin of a coral reef. There are over 149 species of acropora including table coral, elkhorn coral, and staghorn coral.