Mushroom corals have been discovered to move themselves using a surprising method. Thanks to time-lapse video footage, scientists have seen that these solitary, tiny corals can “walk” by moving their bodies in a unique way.
This behavior is fascinating because most corals are colonial and immobile. Mushroom corals, however, have an entirely different life strategy—they’re solitary and rely on their own propulsion to navigate their habitats. The researchers found that these corals use a similar mechanism as jellyfish, expanding tissues on the outside of their bell-shaped bodies before propelling themselves forward.
While this movement is slow by human standards, it’s efficient for mushroom corals. Over the course of several hours, they can move 220 millimeters. The discovery challenges previous assumptions about how these corals thrive in their environments and offers new insights into their migration patterns and survival strategies.
For the first time, scientists have been able to study this behavior in detail thanks to high-resolution footage. This breakthrough could lead to a better understanding of how mushroom corals avoid predators, escape crowded habitats, or find stable spots for reproduction. The findings also highlight how even small creatures can adapt to their surroundings through clever biomechanical strategies—a reminder that evolution is often more intricate than we initially think.
This research adds depth to the growing field of marine biology and offers hope for protecting these unique corals in our oceans.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/science/walking-coral.html