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Healthy elkhorn coral at Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

By St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center 2016 (approx.)
a large thicket of bright orange branching coral colonies in blue water
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Detailed Description

A healthy thicket of elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata in Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. This species is critical for shoreline protection because it is the only species that builds reef-crest habitat in the Caribbean region.

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.

Provided by the National Park Service.