Coral regeneration

Coral are constantly damaged by fishes, snails and humans. How do corals repeatedly heal from these injuries?

Corals can regenerate new polyps to replace the missing tissue. Some scientists are currently studying the process of regeneration and have seen Porites corals  regenerate new polyps in only seven days after being wounded.  

This picture illustrates how coral tissue regenerates over time. On the left side, you can see the initial wound, while on the right side, 25 days later, the tissue has been completely restored. The coral polyps, shown in fluorescent green, demonstrate their ability to migrate into the damaged area and replace the lost tissue within 25 days.