652B - Iceland’s Seabed Ecosystem II - Zigzag coral - Self-adhesive

Zigzag coral (Madrepora oculata) is a stony coral that forms a hard calcium shell. The zigzag coral is one of three coral species that can form coral reefs in Icelandic waters. Its growth rate is about 3-20 mm annually, which means that the formation of coral reefs takes an enormous amount of time. In Iceland the zigzag coral grows at the edge of the continental shelf off the south and west of Iceland at a depth of 200-1000 meters. There are many coral reefs in this area and some of them have been filmed with underwater cameras. These coral reefs are protected.