You think an animal would be something like a bear or a bug, but their are animals everywhere.  There are animals like corals and yes a coral is an animal.  I'm going to show you an animal that I for one didn't think was an animal.  My animal is the Mushroom Coral.  The Mushroom Coral is a very colorful animal, they are many different colors.  The Mushroom Coral is found in the ocean around Indonesia.

         

The Mushroom Coral comes in many shapes, colors, and sizes.  The Mushroom Coral is about two feet in diameter.  This animal comes in a variety of colors.  There are so many colors that people start a collection.The Mushroom Coral is well adapted to its environment.  These animals are dome-shaped or flat.  Scientists identify them by their skeletons. I was wondering how exactly do they do that but oh well.  They are very bright in color so they are easy to find.  This is just how the specimen looks like, there is more about this weird animal.

         

The Mushroom Coral is found on slope fringes or coral reefs in Indoneisia.  The population of this animal is unidentified.  The population is low and is at threat level.  They are being bought by many people.  One reason the coral reefs are being depleted is coral bleaching.  This is caused by carbon dioxide emissions, like fossil fuel emissions. 

         

The Mushroom Coral is a predator and a home for other small animals.  They eat plankton, harvest sugars and oils manufactured by some plants like Zoothanthellae, which is in plant tissue.  They use their tentacles to capture plankton from the water.  Its major predators are humans.  They desire the beautiful polyps of the coral.  Some corals are brown and blend in with rocks to defend themselves.  They are also found at deeper depths. 

         

My animal may not be some crazy awesome animal that can rip you to shreds, but the Mushroom Coral is an interesting animal.  This animal is endangered and very colorful.  That is what i like about this particular animal. It is very unique.

 

Author:
Published: 07/2018

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Sources:

http://www.marineparks.wa.gov.au/dive-in-to-marine-parks.htmlhttp://www.marineparks.wa.gov.au/fun-facts/117-mushroom-corals.html. 2/13/13

http://www.arkive.org/mushroom-corals/fungia-spp/. 2/13/13

http://www.edgeofexistence.org/coral_reef/species_info.php?id=1840. 2/13/13

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom_coral. 2/13/13