Alex Mustard / Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) at night with polyps extended to feed, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies. Caribbean Sea.

Alex Mustard / Brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) photographed under blue light to excite the fluorescence, Little Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbean Sea.

Juergen Freund / Large round Brain coral (Platygyra lamellina) on coral reef, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Large round Brain coral (Platygyra lamellina) on coral reef, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Coral reefs exposed by the April 2nd 2007 earthquake that lifted the island of Ranongga by 3m, Solomon Islands, Pacific, July 2010.

Juergen Freund / Coral reefs exposed by the April 2nd 2007 earthquake that lifted the island of Ranongga by 3m, Solomon Islands, Pacific, July 2010.

Juergen Freund / Hard brain coral (Platygyra sp) half covered with a pink algae, Moluccas Islands, Indo-pacific

Tim Laman / Split level of roots of Red mangrove {Rhizophora mangle} supporting rich invertebrate life, Brain coral and Silversides fish in the Belize Cays, Tunicate Cove, Belize.

Tim Laman / Split level of Brain coral growing around the underwater portions of Red mangrove roots {Rhizophora mangle} on offshore mangrove island, Tunicate Cove, Belize.

Doug Perrine / Wrasse blenny {Hemiemblemaria simulus} in giant brain coral, Bahamas, mimics cleaning wrasse

Juergen Freund / Arrow crab on brain coral {Stenorhynchus seticornis} Caribbean Sea, Cuba

Doug Perrine / Giant brain coral provides shelter for Grunts and Squirrelfish, Florida Keys, USA.

Michael Pitts / Brain coral on coral reef Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

Doug Perrine / Queen angelfish {Holacanthus ciliaris} over brain coral, Cayman Islands, Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean (Non-ex).

Jeff Rotman / Close up of Brain coral {Diplora strigosa} Caribbean

Juergen Freund / Brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis). Caribbean

Juergen Freund / Diver on coral reef near Brain coral, Caribbean

Alex Mustard / A Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) spawning at night, releasing pink and white bundles of eggs and sperm from the polyps within its grooves, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Brit...

Alex Mustard / Two Ruby brittlestars (Ophioderma rubicundum) climbing a Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) as it spawns at night in order to feed on the coral eggs, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Isl...

Alex Mustard / A Ruby brittle star (Ophioderma rubicundum) feeding on the spawn from a Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa), East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbean Sea.

Alex Mustard / A Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) spawning at night, releasing pink and white bundles of eggs and sperm from the polyps within its grooves, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, B...

Alex Mustard / A Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) spawning at night, releasing pink and white bundles of eggs and sperm from the polyps within its grooves, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, B...

Alex Mustard / A Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) spawning at night, releasing pink and white bundles of eggs and sperm from the polyps within its grooves, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, B...

Alex Mustard / A Symmetrical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) preparing to spawn at night, showing the bundles of eggs and sperm within the polyps prior to their synchronous release, with a Triplefin (Helcogram...

Alex Mustard / A Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) preparing to spawn at night, with one gamete bundle beginning to be released, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbea...

Alex Mustard / Two photos of a Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) spawning at night, showing views before and during the release of the gamete bundles, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British...

Alex Mustard / A Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) preparing to spawn at night, with one gamete bundle beginning to be released, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbea...

Alex Mustard / A Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) spawning at night by releasing pink and white bundles of eggs and sperm from its polyps, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indie...

Alex Mustard / Three Ruby brittlestars (Ophioderma rubicundum) climbing a Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) as it spawns at night in late summer. East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West...

Alex Mustard / Brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) poylps capturing a planktonic worm, photographed under blue light to excite the fluorescence. The coral polyps glow green and the worm glows orange. The coral pol...

Alex Mustard / Brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) close focus wide angle view. Photograph is not digital manipulated, but taken with a fisheye lens placed very close to the coral with flashes aimed to illuminate...

Alex Mustard / Secretary blenny (Acanthemblemaria maria) peering out of a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbean Sea.

Alex Mustard / Secretary blenny (Acanthemblemaria maria) peeking out of a boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbean Sea.

Alex Mustard / Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) close focus wide angle view, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbean Sea.

Alex Mustard / Brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) showing healthy coral, unmanipulated image. East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. British West Indies. Caribbean Sea.

Alex Mustard / Brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) probably suffering from white band disease, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. British West Indies, Caribbean Sea, January 2010.

Alex Mustard / Brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) bleached, polyps have expelled their zooxanthellae symbiotic algae from their tissue, probably as a result of being stressed by a rise in sea temperature, East End,...

Alex Mustard / Secretary blenny (Acanthemblemaria maria) living in a tube within Boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans). Photo illuminated with a single flash, with restricted beam to create hard lighting. East E...

Alex Mustard / Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) close up view, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbean Sea.

Alex Mustard / Brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) colony spawning at night in late summer, bundles of eggs and sperm slowly being released from the polyps, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Ind...

Pete Oxford / Yellownose goby (Elacatinus randalli) in Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean

Pete Oxford / Grooved Brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) Jardines de la Reina National Park, Cuba, Caribbean

Christian Ziegler / Great Star Coral (Montastraea cavernosa) growing directly beneath Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle), Bastimentos Marine National Park, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Christian Ziegler / Great Star Coral (Montastraea cavernosa) growing directly beneath Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle), Bastimentos Marine National Park, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Christian Ziegler / Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis), Bastimentos Marine National Park, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Pete Oxford / Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) filter feeding while attached to Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis), Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean

Pete Oxford / Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) filter feeding while attached to Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis), Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean

Pete Oxford / Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) filter feeding while attached to Great Star Coral (Montastraea cavernosa), Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean

Pete Oxford / Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) filter feeding while attached to Great Star Coral (Montastraea cavernosa), Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean

Pete Oxford / Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis), Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean

Pete Oxford / Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) on Brain coral. Punta Gruesa, Mahahual Peninsula, South Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

Pete Oxford / Symmetrical Brain Coral (Diplora strigosa). Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo, South Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

Pete Oxford / Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) on reef, Jardines de la Reina National Park, Cuba

Pete Oxford / Symmetrical Brain Coral (Diploria strigosa) on reef, Jardines de la Reina National Park, Cuba

Juergen Freund / Purple coral-eating sponge (Nara / Chalinula nematifera) on brain coral, North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Hard brain coral (Platygyra sp) covered with pink algae and fish, Moluccas Islands, Indo-pacific.

Juergen Freund / Close up of coral polyps of a brain coral, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia,

JEFF FOOTT / Brain coral bleached by raised water temperature, Dry Tortugas NP, Florida, USA

Georgette Douwma / Open / Folded brain coral (Trachyphyllia geoffroyi). Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia. October

Georgette Douwma / Open / Folded brain coral (Trachyphyllia geoffroyi). Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia. October

Georgette Douwma / Open / Folded brain coral (Trachyphyllia geoffroyi). Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia. October

Pete Oxford / Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis), Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis), Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans), Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Georgette Douwma / Coral reef with table coral (Acropora sp), brain coral and porites coral. Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Sue Daly / Soft coral (Sarcophyton sp) Lembeh Straits, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Claudio Contreras / Symmetrical brain coral close-up (Pseudodiploria strigosa) Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve, Caribbean Sea, Mexico, April

Claudio Contreras / Boulder brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) close-up, Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve, Caribbean Sea, Mexico, May

Tim Laman / Split level of Brain coral growing around the underwater portions of Red mangrove roots {Rhizophora mangle} on offshore mangrove island, Tunicate Cove, Belize.

Tim Laman / Soft coral with Brain corals. Andros Barrier Reef, Bahamas.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Yellowbar angelfish (Pomacanthus maculosus) on coral reef with brain coral, Egypt, Red Sea

Doug Perrine / Brain coral {Pseudodiploria strigosa} releasing egg and sperm packets during mass spawning, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Day / Common reef octopus (Octopus cyanea) hunting over coral rubble with tentacles wrapped around brain coral, Andaman Sea, Thailand.

Doug Wechsler / Close up of pattern on Brain coral, Virgin Islands

Martha Holmes / Rough star coral / brain coral (Isophyllastrea rigida) British Virgin Island, Caribbean

Martha Holmes / Close up of patterns in Brain coral (Colpophyllia breviserialis) British Virgin Island, Caribbean

Martha Holmes / Close up of patterns in Brain coral (Colpophyllia natans) Carriacou, Caribbean

Peter Scoones / Fairy Basslet (Gramma loreto) on coral reef, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean photographed during making of BBC Planet Earth series 2005

Peter Scoones / French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean photographed during making of BBC Planet Earth series 2005

Doug Perrine / Brain coral {Pseudodiploria strigosa} dieing from Black band disease, Bahamas

Doug Perrine / Brain coral broken off and rolled over by hurricane Gilbert, 1988, Gulf of Mexico

Doug Perrine / Grunts {Haemulon sp} + Squirrelfish shelter under Giant brain coral, Florida Keys, USA.

Doug Perrine / Brain coral {Pseudodiploria strigosa} mass spawning, Texas, Gulf of Mexico

Juergen Freund / Banded coral shrimp on brain coral, Caribbean Sea off Cuba

Norbert Wu / Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans) common in south Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean, Saba, Dutch Antilles

Norbert Wu / Brain Coral (Diploria sp) colony partially taken over by sponge, which may eventually cover the entire coral, Indonesia

Norbert Wu / Spotjaw Blenny (Acanthemblemaria rivasi) in Brain Coral, large red eyes scare off predators, Caribbean

Norbert Wu / Brain Coral (Diploria sp) symbiotic algae within polyps produce food, Roatan, Honduras

Norbert Wu / Brain Coral (Diploria sp) dying, white area has been bleached and covered by sediment Healthy coral colony is greenish-brown and clearly shows grooves

Norbert Wu / Brain Coral (Diploria sp) dying, white area has been bleached and covered by sediment Healthy coral colony is greenish-brown and clearly shows grooves

Juergen Freund / Orange icing sponge {Mycale laevis} on brain coral. Caribbean.

Jurgen Freund / Divers near brain coral,Caribbean.

Roberto Rinaldi / Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus)sprouting from brain coral (Faviidae) on a reef, Belize. ^^^The worms open their corkscrew-like plumage to filter plankton and other microscopic nourishme...

Roberto Rinaldi / Symmetrical / common / smooth brain coral (Diploria strigosa), Honduras.

Roberto Rinaldi / Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus) growing on brain coral, Belize.

Roberto Rinaldi / Fairy basslet (Gramma loreto) swimming over stony coral / brain coral, Belize.