Gold Cup Coral (Balanophyllia Regia)

Latin name: Balanophyllia regia
Common name: Gold cup coral
Other names: Scarlet-and-gold star coral
Family: Dendrophylliidae

Distribution: Mediterranean, Atlantic, English Channel.

Habitat: This solitary stone coral lives on rocks from the shore down to 100 metres.

Size: 10 cm (cylindrical skeleton).

Colour: Yellow or orange polyps, transparent tentacles with yellow spots.

Protected under Gibraltar's Nature Protection Ordinance