Prescence of iodine is vital to hermatypic invertebrates because it is used to detoxify excess oxygen produced by zooxanthellae. This oxygen irritates sensitive tissue. Corals and clams that appear to shrivel or close under intense lighting are likely attempting to shade their zooxanthellae symbionts to reduce the rate of oxygen production. Iodide essentially bonds with oxygen to form non-toxic iodate, relieving the need to shield zooxanthellae and enabling the host organism to open more fully.