Blue+Coral

Ancestor: Rugosa Coral Future Animal: The Pink Coral By Elizabeth Poon 10C



==== The blue coral is a sea creature that originates from the family Helioporidae, and is in the genus Heliopora. It is scientifically named as the Heliopora coerulea. It was often confused whether it was a stony coral or a soft coral, but it actually is a rather interesting soft coral. Also, It is the only remaining species left in its own family. The blue coral has a unique blue colour and defined braches that extend outwards. Other animals that live in the sea includes the Killer Whale, the Blue Whale and the Dolphin. ====

__**Scientific Classification**__

 * = Kingdom = || = Animalia = ||
 * = Phylum = || = Cnidaria = ||
 * = Class = || = Anthozoa = ||
 * = Subclass: = || = [|Octocorallia] = ||
 * = Order: = || = Helioporacea = ||
 * = Family: = || = Helioporidae = ||
 * = Genus: = || = Heliopora = ||
 * = Species: = || = H. coerulea = ||

** Where can blue corals be seen? **
==== Blue corals can mostly be seen in Australia and in the Indo Western Pacific (The central great barrier reef, Japan, Indonesia, parts of Indonesia and Africa) which is between 25 degrees North and 25 degrees South. They can also be found on the Northern flat tropical reefs and some upper reef slopes. They live is shallow waters, less than 2m deep, but the habitat really depends on the colonies as colonies vary in size. The Blue Corals’ habitats can be from 0 to 30 feet where there is plenty of sunshine(light) and the water has good movements. ====

** Climate **
==== Blue corals are able to survive in warmer climates and are much stronger than other types of corals. Therefore they can be found in Australia and in the Indo Western Pacific where the climate is very warm. ====

** Other factors **
==== - According to the Marine International, the water in Australia and the Indo Western Pacific is less polluted and therefore is clean and clear. Light reaches through the clear water and down to the zooxanthellae algae that lives within the blue coral’s. ====

- All corals require a habitat with strong wave action because waves can carry food (nutrients and oxygen). Strong wave actions also settlement of sediments on the coral reefs.
==== - Warm tropical waters from Australia and the Indo Western Pacific brings precipitation of calcium to the skeleton of coral polyp. As the water temperature and salinity is high while the concentration of carbon dioxide is low, therefore the precipitation occurs to form the skeleton of the Blue coral. ====

** Threats **
==== Although Blue Coral is very widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, it only occurs in limited areas on extremely shallow reefs. In addition to the threat from over-collection, Blue Coral is particularly susceptible to the rise in sea temperature associated with global climate change. This leads to coral bleaching, where the symbiotic algae are expelled, leaving the coral weak and vulnerable to an increasing variety of harmful diseases. More localised threats include pollution, destructive fishing practices, invasive species, human development, and other activities. ====

__** Structural adaptation 1 **__
Every type of coral has different colours and their colours can show their age and maturity. Some may think that the colours of corals are only for decoration, but actually, the colours shown on the coral has a bigger effect. The colour of the Blue Coral protects them undersea. As most oceans or seas are blue, therefore the colour of the Blue Coral helps them to hide from A process called coral bleaching has decimated many coral reefs. Coral bleaching is a process of colour-removal of the coral. If the coral bleaches (or turn right), that means that the coral is dying. The Bleaching can be caused by a variety of environmental issues, which includes higher than normal ocean temperatures that cause the coral to expel the zooxanthellae (Microscopic algae that live within the blue coral’s tissues), cutting the polyps off from their food supply and depriving them of their colours. If the [|bleaching] is severe enough and lasts long enough, it can spell death for the entire reef. Most corals need sunlight because zooxanthellae colonize them in the process of photosynthesis. If the zooxanthellae die, the coral dies. However, there are some optimal conditions which the zooxanthellae returns and the coral survives.

__** Behavioral Adaptation 1/Structural **__
A behavioral adaptation of coral is that most blue corals tend to live in groups of polyps. The most prominent behavioral adaptation for defense on the reef must be how to retreat into a safe hiding place. According to Marine Reef International, most reef inhabitants have incredible sense of location. This allows them to be retreated into a safe place in dangerous situations. Poisonous toxins can be found in organisms that cannot be retreated. When corals stay or grow together, the corals will eventually use their tentacles and try to sting another coral. The coral with a weaker toxin will survive. Predators who feed on coral polyps may not able to get their food due to the strong toxins on corals.

__ Behavioral adaptation 2 __
Another behavioral adaptation of the Blue corals is that they have a mutualistic relationship with zooxanthellae, microscopic algae that live in their tissues and is sensitive to light. It has been said above that reef building corals are only found in areas where symbiotic zooxanthellae takes in light for the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process of the plants converts sunlight into sugar (food) so that the plants can absorb nutrients from the sunlight. (Light energy to chemical energy). During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide and water are converted by zooxanthellae to oxygen and carbohydrates which provides nutrients to the coral. Through this process, coral saves up energy to eliminate carbon dioxide. By removing carbon dioxide, zooxanthellae also produces calcium in the process of photosynthesis. The calcification helps the reef to build faster.

__ Behavioral adaptation 3 __
The blue coral has to live with other corals to absorb nutrients. As corals are invertebrates which means they have no bones or spinal column, they have to use their tentacles to capture plankton (food) to eat at night. Corals compose of many polyps which are cup-shaped like animals and millions of polyps cooperate together to create limestones skeletons so that they can extend their bodies and wave in the water, collecting plankton to eat, thus supplying energy to “partners” and enable them to absorb more nutrients.

__** Physiological adaptation 1 **__
The blue corals have to live in a higher temperature because they alter a process known as acclimatization (process of an individual organism adjusting to a gradual change in its environment). Corals that live in warmer waters are usually more tolerant of high temperatures than those that are found in cooler water. If the temperature suddenly change, for example corals that usually live in warmer conditions, but in winter, the temperatures lowered to 9 °C, then the coral will either run through the process of acclimatization to survive or bleach and die.



** References **
Borneman, E. H. 2001. Aquarium Corals: Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History. TFH/Microcosm Professional Series, Neptune City, NJ. pp. 114, 121–123. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14601413 Fossa, S. and A. Nilsen. 1998. The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium, Volume 2. Birgit Schmettkamp Velag, Bornheim, Germany. 226–228. http://www.term-papers.us/ts/ha/sff254.shtml Lewis, J. B. 1982. “Feeding behaviour and feeding ecology of the Octocorallia (Coelenterata: Anthozoa).” Journal of Zoology. 196(3):371–384. http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/coralreefs-climate Rupert, E. E., R. S. Fox, and R. D. Barnes. 2004. Invertebrate Zoology: A Functional Evolutionary Approach: 7th ed. Brooks/Cole, Thomson. Belmont, CA. pp. 139–143. http://www.coralfilm.com/about.html Veron, J. E. N. 2000. Corals of the World. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia. v.3, pp. 406–407.