1. of or relating to corals that build reefs by secreting calcium carbonate skeletons, typically in symbiosis with zooxanthellae algae
Usage: technical; biology; marine science

Examples

• Hermatypic corals are essential to the formation and maintenance of coral reef ecosystems.
• The hermatypic species in the Caribbean have been severely affected by rising ocean temperatures.
• Unlike hermatypic corals, ahermatypic corals do not form reefs and can survive in deeper, darker waters.
• Hermatypic corals depend on their symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae for nutrition.
• Scientists study hermatypic coral bleaching to understand the impacts of climate change on marine biodiversity.