Definitions

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  • noun Plural form of zooxanthella.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • "Bleaching occurs when sea temperatures rise and this causes the coral tissue to expel their symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae – these are what give the coral their colour," said Head.

    Conservationists unveil plans to save coral from extinction 2011

  • The rich colors are caused by the presence of minute algae called zooxanthellae that live symbiotically in the coral tissues.

    Dr. Terry Gosliner: From Beautiful Nudibranchs to Coral Graveyards: Marine Research in the Indian and Pacific Oceans (PHOTOS) Dr. Terry Gosliner 2010

  • Reef-building corals contain plant-like organisms called zooxanthellae that live symbiotically within their tissue.

    Coral reefs and climate change 2008

  • Corals have symbiotic algae, called zooxanthellae, living within their body tissues.

    Coral bleaching, satellite observations, and coral reef protection 2008

  • The animal, a tiny polyp, shelters a tinier plant (an algae called zooxanthellae), which returns the favor by sharing the energy it produces through photosynthesis with its host.

    Reefs: Coral's Faltering Partnership 2007

  • Within the tissue of most reef-building corals live symbiotic small algae called zooxanthellae (pronounced zo-zan-thel-ee) that are capable of photosynthesis (changing sunlight energy into food).

    Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary 2007

  • Algae called zooxanthellae live within the coral, give it its brilliant reds, oranges and browns and through photosynthesis provide 98 percent of the coral's food.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2006

  • National Geographic explains, "Solar rays nourish essential, algae-like organisms called zooxanthellae, which live symbiotically in the jellies' tissues and provide their hosts with energy as a byproduct of their photosynthesis."

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com The Huffington Post News Editors 2011

  • "Bleaching occurs when sea temperatures rise and this causes the coral tissue to expel their symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae - these are what give the coral their colour," said

    The Guardian World News Alok Jha 2011

  • On our current trajectory, the pH will continue to decline past the point where corals and the algae species known as zooxanthellae that live symbiotically with the corals can work together to form expelled coral skeletons into calcium carbonate - the engine of coral reef growth.

    FriendFeed - georgeh 2010

Comments

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  • "Corals live in a symbiotic alliance with tiny algae called zooxanthellae. Thanks to photosynthesis, the algae capture sunlight and use it to turn carbon dioxide into organic carbon, with oxygen as a waste product. of the process. The coral then uses the oxygen in its own metabolic cycle."

    —Steven Johnson, The Ghost Map (New York: Penguin, 2006), 6–7

    October 1, 2008