Goniopora Coral:
Scientists have reported that a combination of extreme heat stress and a rare Black band disease has wiped out 75 per cent of Goniopora coral colonies at a site on the Great Barrier Reef.It is also known as flowerpot or daisy corals, is a type of hard, soft coral belonging to the Poritidae family. It is appreciated for its beautiful appearance as it possesses unique polyps that resemble flower petals. It typically inhabits lagoons and turbid reefs and considered thermally tolerant. Goniopora are a photosynthetic coral and derive some of their nutritional requirements from light. It can thrive in a wide range of lighting.They have a symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellates called zooxanthellae that live in the tissues of the coral. It is a predatory coral, meaning it obtains some of its nutrients by capturing small organisms in the water. Black band disease is a bacterial necrotic infection that invades living coral. It forms a black band that crosses the infected coral, usually killing the colony.
