Coral (Franchise)

Coral is a collection of tiny animals seen in the How to Train Your Dragon Franchise.

Description
Coral is a loose term applied to colonies of invertebrates in the taxonomic Class Anthozoa. This means that coral is in the Phylum Cnidaria, along with Jellyfish and Anemones. "Stony Corals" are the more commonly known types, and over time, are a major building block of reefs. Stony corals produce a calcium carbonate "shell" of sorts around the animal's body (called a polyp).

Corals feed on a variety of other living things, depending on the species. Some are filter feeders and ingest zooplankton and other tiny free-floating creatures. Other grab small fish. Some rely, at least in part, on a symbiotic relationship with certain Algae that live in their tissues.

The types of corals in the Franchise that can be readily identified include: Brain coral (Family Mussidae), Red coral (Corallium rubrum), and possibly Sea Ginger (Millepora alcicornis).

Function
As yet, coral does not serve a specific purpose in the franchise, other than for background imagery.

In reality, coral forms the base of reefs around the globe and is essential for reef health, where a diversity of fish and other creatures live.

Red coral, also known as precious coral, has also been used in jewelry making and other artwork because of its bright red color. Coral has also been used in both western and alternative medicines. Some corals are used in aquariums.