A genus of blue corals that are sun-loving and possess porous structures that allow light penetration, found in shallow tropical waters.
From Greek helios (sun) + poros (pore). This scientific genus name was coined in the 19th century when taxonomists were naming corals based on their structural and habitat characteristics.
Blue corals in the genus Heliopora aren't actually blue from pigment—they're blue because their calcium carbonate skeletons scatter light in a way that makes blue wavelengths more visible, and they live in the brightest tropical reef waters!
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