Blue Heliopora Coerulea Coral

Heliopora coerulea, commonly known as Blue Coral, is a unique species within the phylum Cnidaria, class Anthozoa, and order Helioporacea. It is the only extant species in the family Helioporidae and stands out for its striking blue color, a result of iron salts in its skeleton. Blue Coral possesses a massive, encrusting growth form with a robust aragonite skeleton. Unlike the majority of hard corals, which primarily utilize calcium carbonate (calcite or aragonite) for their skeletal structures, H. coerulea incorporates iron, giving it a distinctive blue hue. This coral forms large, bushy colonies with branches that can reach up to several meters in diameter. The polyps of H. coerulea are tiny, with eight tentacles each, typical of octocorals, and reside within tubes in the skeleton. All shells and sea life vary in size and shape. You will receive a high quality specimen of the selected item but not the exact one pictured.