The coral reefs of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary have over 50 percent coral cover, dominated by massive star and brain corals. This panoramic image was taken on the flanks of the East Flower Garden Bank, where coral cover is upwards of 80 percent. The corals here grow in a more flattened form to capture as much light as possible to maximize photosynthesis by their symbiotic algae, which live in the tissues of the coral animals.