▁Ind o - P ac ific ▁waters ▁from ▁the ▁Red ▁Sea ▁to ▁Australia ▁and ▁the ▁East ▁China ▁Sea . ▁The ▁species ▁in ▁un common ▁throughout ▁its ▁range , ▁and ▁is ▁threatened ▁by ▁the ▁global ▁loss ▁of ▁cor al ▁re ef ▁habit ats . ▁ ▁Description ▁Col on ies ▁of ▁A can th ast rea ▁rot und of l ora ▁are ▁either ▁massive ▁or ▁enc rust ing . ▁The ▁cor all ites ▁are ▁p lo co id ▁and ▁rather ▁widely ▁separated , ▁and ▁in ▁small ▁colon ies ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁consp ic uous ▁central ▁cor all ite . ▁The ▁sept a ▁have ▁long ▁pointed ▁teeth . ▁The ▁general ▁colour ▁of ▁this ▁cor al ▁is ▁rust y - b rown , ▁dark ▁brown ▁or ▁green . ▁ ▁Bi ology ▁A can th ast rea ▁rot und of l ora ▁is ▁a ▁zo ox anth ell ate ▁species ▁of ▁cor al . ▁It ▁obtain s ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁nut r itional ▁needs ▁from ▁the ▁sym bi otic ▁din of lag ell ates ▁that ▁live ▁inside ▁its ▁soft ▁t issues . ▁These ▁photos yn th etic ▁organ isms ▁provide ▁the ▁cor al ▁with ▁organ ic ▁carbon ▁and ▁nit ro gen , ▁sometimes ▁providing ▁up ▁to ▁ 9 0 % ▁of ▁their ▁host ' s ▁energy ▁needs ▁for ▁met abol ism ▁and ▁growth . ▁Its ▁remaining ▁needs ▁are ▁met ▁by ▁the ▁pl ank ton ic ▁organ isms ▁caught ▁by ▁the ▁tent acles ▁of ▁the ▁poly ps . ▁ ▁Status ▁This ▁cor al ▁has ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁and ▁is