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Corals represents marine organisms
belonging to the class Anthozoa and existing as little sea
anemones (such as polyps) in colonies made from identical
individuals. The corals can be divided in those that have 8
tentacles called alcyonaria or octocorallia (in this category
are included sea pens, sea fans and soft corals) and those that
have more than 8 tentacles called zoantharia or hexacorallia
(the zoanthids, the scleractinians – the reef-building corals
and the sea anemones are included in this category). Thousands
of polyps that are genetically identical form the coral`s
“head”; each polyp has a diameter of few millimeters. The coral
grows in shallow and clear waters and needs the sunlight; the
corals grow at depths of 60 meters. The coral reef`s physical
structure is sustained by corals. The zooxanthellae, which is a
symbiotic unicellular algae, is the nutritional base for corals.
One of the most beautiful corals is the red coral (or the
precious coral) whose main characteristic is the skeleton's
intensely red color. The skeleton is used in the jewelry
fabrication. What give the red color of this coral are the
carotenoid pigments. In Egypt, corals live in the warm waters of
the beautiful beach resorts from the Red Sea`s shore. In
Hurghada for example, in the El Fanadir site are lovely soft and
hard corals. In Marsa Alam are dive sites like Elphinstone Reef
where you can see walls decorated with red, bright pink, brown
and white corals an amazing show of colors. At Shaab Marsa Alam
are also gardens of corals and big coral blocks. Soft corals can
be seen at Gota Sharm (Shaab Sharm) as well as at Rocky Island.
In Erg Diab, the corals cover a tug boat's wreck. You can see
the beautiful corals in the diving trips organized on these
resorts. |
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