Blade Fire Coral
Millepora complanata
Net Fire Coral
Millepora dichotoma
About
Net fire coral builds a hard, chalky skeleton and grows in colonies that can spread into wide clumps on the reef. It starts as a thin crust on rock, then grows upward into shapes shaped by depth and current. Despite the name, it is not a true coral at all.
How to tell it apart
It looks like a true stony coral but is actually a fire coral, a relative of jellyfish, and its sting causes burning pain and skin welts that can last up to two weeks. The giveaway is its open, net-like or boxy lattice growth, unlike the cupped polyp texture of true corals. Never touch it.
Appearance
This coral starts as a flat crust on hard rock, then grows into lacy blades, leaf-like sheets, or a dense, box-like lattice, depending on depth and how rough the water is. Its colour comes from the algae living inside its tissue, which also help it grow and get nutrients.
Did you know?
During its spawning season from April to June, this coral releases sperm into the water just before the eggs, a timing trick that boosts the chance of successful fertilisation.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
