Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserves and Mote Marine Lab’s Coral Collaboration

Mote Marine Lab’s coral scientists joined Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserve staff to locate and map some hard corals in the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve for future genetic sampling. One of the species does not fit either of the two local species in its genus. It may be a different species altogether. Four species of hard corals were observed on Tampa Bay hardbottom during this field visit with future collaborations planned.