Commonly seen in the region, hard corals such as Acropora, Porites, and Pocillopora, along with various types of soft corals, form the fundamental building blocks of the Red Sea's ecosystem.
These coral colonies house hundreds of small invertebrates, sponge species, and numerous fish populations.
Microalgae called zooxanthellae, which live in symbiotic relationships with coral polyps, not only support the survival of the corals but also form the foundation of the food chain within the reefs.