The pectoral fins were strong enough for the animal to "walk" around the sea floor in search of a hiding place between coral colonies.
Deep-water coral colonies range in size from small and solitary to large, branching tree-like structures.
Animals like sponges and coral colonies naturally fragment and reproduce.
Many types of coral colonies can increase in number by fragmentation that occurs naturally or artificially.
Breeding pairs occupy coral colonies, usually one pair to a colony.
Predation can eventually lead to the death of the coral colony.
It climbs onto a section of living coral colony using the large number of tube feet on its oral surface and flexible body.
This same chemical message process also alerts a coral colony or anemone of any threat close by from other species.
Astounded, Troy swam over beside her to look at the coral colony she had just disturbed.
Some studies suggest that the algae have killed parts of coral colonies in the middle Keys.