Coral polyps are animals that capture food
NOAA
NOAA identifies corals as animals and describes their tentacles, feeding and colony structure.
Based on: NOAA
Verdict
True
Verification confidenceHigh
Explanation
Yes. Corals are animals, even though their appearance can resemble plants or rocks. Their living bodies are called polyps, and many species form colonies.
NOAA describes polyps using tentacles to capture food. The Smithsonian independently identifies corals as animals and explains that tropical reef-building corals house microscopic algae within their tissues.
The algae make food through photosynthesis and share it with their coral hosts. That partnership does not turn the host into a plant. In stony corals, the hard calcium carbonate skeleton is also distinct from the living animal that produces it.
Key takeaway
A coral animal, its resident algae and its mineral skeleton are different things.
Evidence
Supports the claim
The coral host is distinct from its algae
Smithsonian Ocean
The Smithsonian identifies corals as animals and distinguishes tropical reef-building corals from the microscopic algae living inside their tissues.
Based on: Smithsonian Ocean
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