corals Flashcards
coral PHYLUM
cnidaria
coral CLASS
anthozoa
coral RANGE
early Cambrian to present
two types of coral
solitary
compound
what is ‘one’ coral
polyp
what are coral skeletons
calcium carbonate
what are the 3 orders of corals
rugose
tabulate
scleractinian
rugose corals solitary or compound?
either
tabulate corals solitary or compound?
compound
scleractinian corals solitary or compound?
either
rugose coral symettry
bilateral symettry
tabulate coral symmetry
radial symmetry
scleractinian corals symmetry
6 fold symmetry (hexagon)
do rugose corals have SEPTA
yes
what shape are rugose corals
horn shaped
do rugose corals have collumnellas
yes
how many septa in scleractinian corals
6
example of rugose coral
lithostrotian sp.
example of tabulate coral
halysites sp.
example of scleractinian coral
thecosmilia
rugose coral range
ordovician - permian
tabulate coral range
Cambrian - permian
scleractian coral range
Triassic - present
which coral may have mural pores
tabulate
what are (coral) mural pores
connections between adjacent corallites perhaps for communication
modern coral what lives with them?
some have an algae called zooxanthellae which photosynthesises and produces oxygen
what are the temp conditions needed for coral growth
23-27C
what are water conditions for coral growth
clear - mud and sand clogs polyp
high salinity - 30-40 ppt
what are energy levels needed for coral growth
high energy - for oxygen
where are modern corals found
30 N - 30 S
what are three types of modern reef forms
fringing reefs
barrier reefs
attols/coral islands
what is a fringing reef
meet the land some parts may be exposed at low tide
what is a barrier reef
further out to sea, with a lagoon seprating coral and land
what is a coral island/attol
ring shaped offshore
volcano sinks and moho sags beneath creating an area of shallow sea, coral grows in a ring
