Fire coral
Millepora alcicornis
- Scientific name
- Millepora alcicornis
- Group
- Cnidarians (corals, anemones, jellyfish)
- Rarity
- Common
- Where to see it
- Caribbean & Tropical Atlantic, Indo-Pacific & Red Sea
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Endangered
Did you know?
Despite its name, fire coral isn't a true coral but a colonial hydrozoan. Touching it triggers an intense burning sensation thanks to its stinging cells, hence the well-earned name.
What defines this group — Cnidarians (corals, anemones, jellyfish)
Corals, anemones and jellyfish: the same simple animal, anchored to the bottom or drifting in open water.
- All armed with cnidocytes, harpoon cells that fire on contact.
- A body arranged in rays around a single opening, serving as both mouth and exit.
- Hard corals host algae in their tissue: it is their departure that causes bleaching.