Montipora dilatata (Purple Rice Coral) is a species of cnidarians in the family staghorn corals. They are listed as endangered by IUCN. Purple Rice Coral formmarine reefs. They are broadcast spawners.
Definition: A taxon is Endangered when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the \r\ncriteria A to E for Endangered, and it is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Definition: The marine benthic biome (benthic meaning 'bottom') encompasses the seafloor and includes such areas as shores, littoral or intertidal areas, marine coral reefs, and the deep seabed.
Definition: An aquatic biome that comprises systems of open-ocean and unprotected coastal habitats, characterized by exposure to wave action, tidal fluctuation, and ocean currents as well as systems that largely resemble these. Water in the marine biome is generally within the salinity range of seawater: 30 to 38 ppt.
Definition: A group of species that exploit the same food resources, and/or use the same feeding or foraging methods. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild_(ecology)
