How corals control their colour
Using the staghorn coral Acropora millepora as a model, scientists from the University of Southampton have found that the fluorescent pigments that are mostly responsible for coral colours act as sunscreens for the symbiotic algae that live in the coral tissue. These alga require light to produce sugars, which they can contribute to the nutrition of the corals in return for the shelter and the supply of nutrients that are provided by the coral host.
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