Why is coral so colorful?
For grown-ups: the science
Coral gets colors from tiny algae living with it and from pigments the coral makes.
Reef-building corals contain symbiotic dinoflagellate algae, commonly called zooxanthellae, whose photosynthetic pigments contribute brown, greenish, and golden tones. Corals also produce or contain fluorescent and nonfluorescent host pigments, which can create vivid colors and may help manage light exposure. Coral color varies with species, lighting, depth, and the amount and kind of symbiotic algae.
What about...?
Ask your child's own question
Transcript
Under the warm ocean water, coral reefs glow with bright colors. Where do all those colors come from?
Coral animals have tiny living blocks called cells. Many corals also share their homes with tiny algae.
The algae use sunlight to make food. Their green, brown, and golden colors can show through the coral.
Some corals make bright pigments in their bodies. These colors can help them handle strong sunlight.
So coral can be colorful because of tiny algae and pigments in its body. A reef is like an underwater rainbow!