Sunset Cup Coral

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Latin name – Leptopsammia pruvoti
Size – up to 3cm in diameter
Habitat – attached to shady rock faces below the low water mark

This slow growing solitary coral is highly vulnerable to disturbances. It is long-living but reproduces very infrequently and is extremely rare. Sunset coral has only been found in four locations around the South-West coast of Britain. It is a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan which aims to maintain the current population of this coral.

Sunset Cup Coral

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One of the reasons for not having many Sunset Cup Corals in British waters is that in the UK they are at the northern-most limit of their geographical range. Photo by Mario Conidi.


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