Range: Shallow oceans worldwide

Habitat: Reefs as deep as 40 feet (12m)

Size: A few inches to more than a few feet across the "cap"

Diet: Nutrients provided by symbiotic bacteria

Threats: Mostly unpalatable to other sea life 

Lifespan: Theoretically indefinitely through budding

Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing toadstool leather corals. These soft corals get their common name from their leathery, mushroom-like appearance. For this reason they're also known as mushroom corals! There are approximately 50 described living toadstool leather coral species as of this recording, but it's worth noting that their taxonomy is in flux. Some species may actually be multiple species that all look really similar in appearance. In fact, most of the time, these corals can't be identified by the species level in the field, they have to be microscopically examined to figure out who they are!

To give a brief overview, corals are colonial organisms made up of polyps. In the case of toadstool leather corals, these polyps are equally spaced and sport eight tentacles. The general shape of the colony is a stalk, just like a mushroom, hence the name, and a large, wavy "cap", called a capitulum, that has a leathery appearance and texture. Toadstool leather corals can be found in coral reefs around the world, though they're generally restricted to water depths no greater than 40 feet (12m). This is because these invertebrates get their nutrients from a photosynthetic algae that lives inside them. The algae get a home in each for providing food for the coral! 

Coral can reproduce both sexually and asexually. In the case of toadstool leather corals, sexual reproduction is completed during mass spawning events in which individuals release their gametes to be fertilized externally in the water column. This is often triggered by the water temperature, tide, and/or lunar cycle. Toadstool leather corals can also reproduce asexually by budding when a piece of the colony breaks off and regenerates into a new colony. Toadstool leather corals are sessile, meaning they don't move once they've attached to a hard surface on the reef.

Some of these invertebrates may produce and release chemicals into the water that prevents their neighbors from creeping into their part of the reef. It's like poisoning the water supply, but they're immune to the poison! These compounds can also deter predators. Fish, sea turtles, sea stars, and more may all eat coral polyps, but when they taste nasty, they'll think twice about taking another bite. The bites they do take can be healed over time, and toadstool leather corals are specifically considered fast-growing invertebrates.

The "cap" of a toadstool leather coral may only reach a few inches (20ish cm) across, but some can grow to multiple feet (1+m) in length, something to consider for any prospective owners. Toadstool leather corals are considered ways to care for because they have limited dietary needs, they literally bring their own food! In fact, these are some of the most traded soft corals in the world today. They don't all look the same either. Some are really wavy, others have clubs with warty heads; with more than 50 known species, and likely more to be discovered, there are plenty of shapes to these invertebrates. 

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