The depicted species was discovered during Deleo’s first expedition to Terra Ultima in the Gulf of Litotes.
It is unclear what comes first - the holes that make up the coral leopard, or the calcium skeleton that holds it together. However, it is already determined that a saltwater clam (the naval shipworm) causes the holes to get bigger over time.
Eventually, you can no longer see the coral leopard - you can only suspect it is there.