Yellow Wire Coral

Overview

The Yellow Wire Coral (Cirrhipathes anguina) is a distinct, unbranched black coral known for its long, whip-like appearance. It is characterized by a flexible, dark skeleton covered in small, sharp spines and scattered polyps, which often give it a texture reminiscent of barbed wire.

Distribution & habitat

This species is widely distributed across the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including the Red Sea. It typically inhabits reef environments, often anchoring itself on steep outer reef slopes, under rocky overhangs, or at the entrances of caves where it can benefit from strong water currents.

Appearance

Cirrhipathes anguina grows as a single, continuous, unbranched stem that can reach several meters in length. Its form is often twisted, sinuous, or irregularly coiled. The coloration of the colony varies, ranging from beige and grey to shades of brown, reddish-brown, or yellow. The surface is covered in small, sharp spines, and the whitish polyps are distributed irregularly along the stem. Because these polyps cannot fully retract into the skeleton, the coral maintains its characteristic barbed-wire-like profile.

Biology & behavior

As a black coral, it possesses a dark, proteinaceous skeleton. It is a colonial organism that relies on filter feeding to survive, using its tentacles to capture zooplankton and small particles from the water column. The polyps remain active both day and night, particularly when water flow is sufficient to deliver food. This coral often serves as a host for various commensal organisms, most notably the wire coral goby (Bryaninops yongei), which lives in exclusive association with it.