Introduction To Coral Biology Flashcards
Which structure of the coral polyp is responsible for capturing food and is located on the outermost part of the polyp?
Tentacle
What specialized stinging organelles are found within coral polyp tentacles and are used for defense and prey capture?
Nematocyst
What is the central opening through which a coral polyp ingests food and expels waste?
Mouth
What internal cavity serves as the site for digestion within a coral polyp?
Stomach (Gastrovascular Cavity)
What inner tissue layer lines the stomach and functions in digestion and absorption?
Gastrodermis
What tissue connects individual polyps in a coral colony, allowing nutrient sharing and communication?
Coenosarc
What structure contains enzymes and extends from the mesenteries to help break down food within the polyp?
Digestive Filament
What gelatinous layer lies between the outer and inner cell layers and provides structural support in the coral polyp?
Mesoglea
What is the outer tissue layer of the polyp that functions in protection and sometimes in housing zooxanthellae?
Epidermis
What are zooxanthellae and what is their role in corals?
Zooxanthellae are symbiotic algae in coral tissues that perform photosynthesis, providing nutrients to the coral in exchange for protection and waste products.
What is sexual reproduction in corals and what does it involve?
Sexual reproduction in corals involves the fusion of sperm and egg to form a planula larva, increasing genetic diversity.
What is a coral broadcast spawning event?
A mass spawning event where many corals release eggs and sperm into the water column simultaneously for external fertilization.
What is brooding in coral reproduction?
A form of reproduction where corals fertilize internally and release fully developed planula larvae.
What is a coral planula?
A free-swimming or crawling larval stage of corals that settles onto a substrate to form a new polyp.
What is asexual reproduction in corals?
Asexual reproduction allows corals to create genetically identical clones without gametes, helping them grow or recover.
What is coral fragmentation?
A form of asexual reproduction where coral fragments break off and form new colonies if they successfully attach to substrate.
What is coral budding?
The formation of new polyps from existing ones by dividing tissue, contributing to colony growth.
How does polyp bailout differ from fragmentation?
Polyp bailout is when individual polyps detach from the colony in response to stress, unlike fragmentation, which involves parts of the skeleton breaking off.
What does it mean when a coral is gonochoric?
A gonochoric coral colony has separate male and female individuals, each producing only one type of gamete.
What does it mean when a coral is hermaphroditic?
A hermaphroditic coral colony produces both eggs and sperm, often within the same polyp.
What is intra-tentacular budding?
Intra-tentacular budding is when a new polyp forms from within the ring of tentacles of an existing polyp, common in massive corals.
What is extra-tentacular budding?
Extra-tentacular budding is when a new polyp forms outside the ring of tentacles, usually between polyps, common in branching corals.
