Coral as sunblock

So, i just got up..Turned on the famous Man vs Wild and he was at some tropical island. He is out diving, brings back a plate coral from what i saw it was(Had a skeleton) and it was quite large. So he lets it stay outa water for about 30 sec and then he said once the water stops dripping, it will start dripping a mucas that is uses during low tide. So he lets abunch of mucas drip into his hands and says it can be used as a sunblock lmao! I love bear grylls. Anyone heard of this?

 

No, never heard of it. But that sucks he took a big, established coral colony out of its environment. I like his show though. Where was he at?

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Pretty sure that it was a coral that is regularly out of water during high tide.

The natural UV blocking compounds it produces protects it from the direct sun in the heat of the day.

Not defending his actions - just might put some more context on them . . .

 

Not sure,some tropical island.

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your correct IMO
I saw the show some time ago M - Ocean Man
and it was a large slipper coral he used
and your corrrect, they have that UV blocking fluid because they end up above water and they release the fluid to protect themselves

 

I seen that show last night too.. he called it a mushroom coral..

 

Fungia plate corals are referred to as "mushroom" corals in the scientific literature, hence the name "Fungia". Always a confusion as hobbyists use the term for corallimorphs.

Sounds like a heck of a big fungia though I agree I hope it was one that is regularly out of the water.

 

Welll thats cool to know i guess! haha! And yeah, it was a BIG fungia,mushroom,slipper coral whatever..