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Minimum and Maximum Depths of Stony Coral Species in Caribbean and Indo-Pacific Waters
SpeciesMinimum depth (meters)Maximum depth (meters)
<i>Agaricia grahamae</i>20115
<i>Acropora striata</i>1025
<i>Danafungia scruposa</i>127
<i>Acropora anthocercis</i>510
Some scientists have suggested that as ocean temperatures rise, many fish and corals found in the shallow zone (less than 30 meters below the surface) could take refuge in the cooler, darker mesophotic zone (30 to 150 meters below the surface). However, it isn’t clear that all such species will be able to tolerate mesophotic conditions. In 2018, Hudson Pinheiro and colleagues studied stony corals in the two zones in Caribbean and Indo-Pacific waters. Based on the depths at which those corals are now found, the species that seems least suited to a full migration to the mesophotic zone is __________
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
A
Agaricia grahamae, because its minimum depth of 20 meters is in the shallow zone.
B
Acropora anthocercis, because its maximum depth of 10 meters is furthest from the mesophotic zone.
C
Acropora striata, because its maximum depth of 25 meters is close to but doesn’t reach the mesophotic zone.
D
Danafungia scruposa, because its minimum depth of 1 meter is the shallowest of those listed.