Yellow Scroll Coral

Turbinaria reniformis, commonly referred to as yellow scroll coral, belongs to the Dendrophylliidae family and is a colonial stony coral. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region and has been classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Turbinaria reniformis is characterized by its flat, plate-like structure or shallow chalices, occasionally forming tiers. The corallites, which are the skeletal cups that house the polyps, are widely spaced and located solely on the upper surface of the plates. These corallites have a diameter of 1.5 to 2 mm and possess thick walls, either sinking into the coenosteum (skeletal tissue) or appearing conical in shape. The coral exhibits a distinct rim devoid of corallites and typically displays a yellowish-green hue.

The geographical range of Turbinaria reniformis spans an extensive area, encompassing the 🌊 Red Sea, 🌊 Gulf of Aden, 🌊 Indian Ocean, central Indo-Pacific, northern 🇦🇺 Australia, southern 🇯🇵 Japan, South China Sea, and various island groups in the West and Central Pacific.

Turbinaria reniformis is a zooxanthellate coral, forming a symbiotic relationship with unicellular dinoflagellates called zooxanthellae. These photosynthetic organisms provide nutrients and energy to the coral, necessitating the coral's preference for relatively shallow, well-lit marine environments. However, under conditions of thermal stress, the coral may expel the zooxanthellae, resulting in bleaching and eventual mortality. Studies have shown that when the surrounding seawater is moderately enriched with nitrogen, the coral exhibits greater resilience to thermal stress and is able to retain its zooxanthellae.

Turbinaria reniformis is gonochoristic, meaning that colonies are either male or female. Breeding occurs synchronously, with all colonies in a given area releasing gametes into the sea approximately one week after the occurrence of a full moon in November.