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Corallidae

Sexual Reproduction in Precious Corals (Coralliidae) Collected in the Ryukyu Archipelago

Management hurdles for sustainable harvesting of Corallium rubrum

Growth patterns in mesophotic octocorals: Timing the branching process in the highly-valuable Mediterranean Corallium rubrum

Colonization of plastic debris by the long-lived precious red coral Corallium rubrum: New insights on the “plastic benefits” paradox

Advances in management of precious corals in the family Corallidae: are new measures adequate?

Morphology of Corallidae

BI260 Coralliidae, also known as red or pink coral, is a taxonomic family of corals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria. This family is composed of 3 genera, Corallium, Paracorallium, Hemicorallium and currently includes 39 species around the world with a higher diversity in the Pacific Ocean. Description: This group of calcifying corals display a wide diversity of mineral skeletons including skeletal structures composed of different calcium carbonate polymorphs. Animals of this class have a simple cup shaped body that consists of two layers of cells, sloping peripheral platforms and wide axial pits. The presence of cnidocytes which are stinging cells that are used both to capture prey and for defense is prominent. The endoskeleton of this coral is composed of tiny stick-like calcium carbonate rods that have been fused together to form a rigid structure which may be colored red, pink or white. On the surface of these corals, branches are composed in length of 3mm to 5mm diverging in different directions Colonies range in color from bright red to pale pink or white and have white polyps. Distribution: Species belonging to this family of Coralliidae typically inhabit temperate regions within the central and western areas of the Pacific Ocean. Within the ocean, these corals are normally located in hard-bottom benthic environments such as seamounts, canyons or surrounding continents. Whereas, colony numbers of Coralliidae decrease in diversity in the Atlantic, Indian, and eastern Pacific oceans unlike the Meditaarean Sea and northern Pacific Ocean where large populations are present. Currently, over the world, the family Corralliidae composes 39 species with a majority endemic to the Pacific Oceanic shelves. Genera: The taxonomic family is divided into three main genera, based on the criteria of the distribution of “polyps”: (1) Corallium: This species is composed of verrucse, or small bumps, slightly elevated from the surface of the corals surrounding the entirety of the coral. Raindrop-shaped axial pits and 8-radiates in the sclerotome are key markers of this species. (2) Paracorallium: The verruse within this coral are slightly raised, like Corallium, but confined to one surface near the edges of the main branches forking in one direction. Pits beneath the axis of this calcareous polyp is a main indicator of this species. (3) Hemicorallium: Hemicorallium are prominent with long tentacle- like verracue distributed heavily on one side of the coral colony. Markers of this species include sclerites, small rod crosses and 6-, 7-, and 8- radiates.

The morphology of Corillidae. corallite= skeleton of a solitary individual or an individual within a colony calice= a cup-shaped depression on the corallite surface coenosteum (-a) [or peritheca (-ae)]= skeleton between corallites within a colony septum (-a)= radially-arranged vertical partition(s) within a corallite costa (-ae)= extension of a septum beyond the wall columella (-ae)= central axial structure (vertical rod) within a corallite dissepiment= horizontal partition (flat or curved) within or outside of a corallite wall [or theca (-ae)]= vertical structure enclosing a corallite Corillidae exhibit two different distributions within a colony and their spacing across the colony surface.It can be even where Corallites are roughly equal in size and evenly distributed across the colony surface or it can be uneven where Corallites vary in size and are concentrated in patches across the colony surface.

Papers used: 1-s2.0-S1055790315000044-main.pdf Precious Corals (Coralliidae) from North-Western Atlantic Seamounts (umaine.edu) Full text of "On the Arrangement of the Coralliidtœ, with Descriptions of new or rare Species" (archive.org)