#porites

[ordinary-beautiful]

The Way A World Ends

[noaasanctuaries]

Check out the latest poster in our 50th Anniversary Save Spectacular poster series!

Our new poster features National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, where Samoan culture, customs, and language underpin a traditional way of life and stewardship of marine resources. The sanctuary's tropical coral gardens teem with marine life.

Take a look for yourself, and download the poster today: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/50/#poster

(Illustration by Matt McIntosh/NOAA. Image description: National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa is a marine oasis. The poster features an ava bowl used for ceremonial practices, a Samoan fale (house) found in villages, and fautasi or long boat canoe. Underwater, tropical coral gardens teem with marine life, including iconic humphead wrasses, endangered hawksbill sea turtles, giant clams, massive Porites corals, and colorful parrotfish, while an oceanic whitetip shark and yellowfin tuna swim near the reef edge.)

[earthstory]

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natgeo Video by @bertiegregory. A bizarre looking Porites coral and a school of anthias (the bright orange fish). 

[letsgetsalty]

I moved the Christmas Tree Worms on top of the rocks and the Porites are already looking better! That’s the first time I’ve seen polyp extension in months!

[noaasanctuaries]

National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa protects extensive coral reefs, including some of the oldest and largest Porites coral heads in the world.

Look deeper and you will find deep-water reefs, hydrothermal vent communities, and rare marine archaeological resources. See for yourself: https://americansamoa.noaa.gov/. (Photo: NOAA. Image description: A small orange fish peeking out of an anemone on a reef.)

[noaasanctuaries]

Island of the Giants

"Big Momma” is Not Alone

Read the full story at https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/apr21/massive-porites.html

Big Momma is a massive Porites coral colony that lives in National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa in an area called the Valley of Giants. Until recently, Big Momma was known as the largest known coral in American Samoa — and possibly the world.

In 2019, a team of scientists from the American Samoa Coral Reef Advisory Group, National Park of American Samoa, and National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, conducted surveys around the island of Ta’u and confirmed that Big Momma is not alone. There are unusually large and abundant corals all around the island, including another large Porites bommie that is even bigger than Big Momma!

Read the full story at https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/apr21/massive-porites.html

[letsgetsalty]

The porites are regaining their green glow!

[noaasanctuaries]

This is Big Momma, one of the largest corals in the world! 

Located in the Valley of the Giants in National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, this giant Porites coral has a circumference of 134 feet, stands 21 feet tall, and is more than 500 years old. 

Learn more about the amazing marine life within this sanctuary here. 

(Photo: Wendy Cover/NOAA)