Extracoelenteric zooplankton feeding is a key mechanism of nutrient acquisition for the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis.

Internal and external feeding on zooplankton may provide scleractinian corals with important nutrients. However, the latter process has never been properly quantified. To quantify the dynamics of zooplankton capture, digestion and release for a scleractinian coral, we performed detailed video analyses of Galaxea fascicularis feeding on Artemia nauplii.