The largest coral of the Great Barrier Reef has been found in Australia. He is 400 years old

The coral was named Muga dhambi, which means “big coral” in the language of the local Manbarra people. According to

ecologists, the find is more than 400 years old.

«Large corals Porites on Gulbudi Island(Orpheus) are unusually rare and resilient, "James Cook University marine ecologist Adam Smith and colleagues write in their article. "It has survived coral bleaching, invasive interventions, cyclones, high tides and human activities for over 400 years."

Its creators still live in the sides of the coral -algal symbiotes and zooxanthellates. But part of its top is already empty. Instead, green sponges (Cliona viridis), algae and other types of corals (Acropora and Montipora species) have settled here, and it is their competition for the remaining space that forms new clear lines on the coral skeleton.

The discovered sponges are often found on the mostthe turbulent side of corals, where they are exposed to stronger currents and make it easier for bacteria and other microbes to filter the water. True, it is sponges that contribute to the destruction of coral. In addition, some coral tissue may die from exposure to the sun during low tides or warm water.

Scientists have also found "tension bands" withhigh density recorded in the structure of the coral, dated from about 1877. Such bands appear much more often due to anthropogenic global warming. But this coral community is very resilient: it has experienced nearly 100 bleaching events and up to 80 large cyclones during its existence, as well as degraded water quality.

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