Yellow Cup Coral

Photo: Frédéric ANDRE · CC BY-NC

The overhangs and undercuts at Punta del Faro are lined with colonies of yellow cup coral, a solitary non-photosynthetic species that thrives in the shaded, current-rich conditions of the headland's deeper ledges. Unlike tropical zooxanthellate corals, these azooxanthellate cup corals feed entirely on planktonic particles swept in by the current, producing vivid golden clusters that glow brilliantly under a torch. They share the undercuts with red and orange sponges, creating some of the most colourful wall scenery in northern Italy.