Types of corals photos with names

There are about 6,000 species of coral polyps! But only 25 of them are used in jewelry production. The variety of shapes and shades can capture the imagination of any person. Having seen at least once a coral reef consisting of many different polyps, you will never be able to forget such a picture.

What types of corals are there?

Corals are amazing inhabitants of the deep sea.
And although outwardly they look like stone, and in structure they are more reminiscent of plants, but in fact corals are animals - polyps. The hardened tips of the bushes are cut off and used to make chic and stylish decorations. There are about 6,000 species of coral polyps! But only 25 of them are used in jewelry production. The variety of shapes and shades can capture the imagination of any person. Having seen at least once a coral reef consisting of many different polyps, you will never be able to forget such a picture.

Apo in the South China Sea

Small in area, it is considered one of the most beautiful reefs on the planet. The uniqueness of this place is emphasized by the high transparency of the water; you can admire the polyps without diving to depth.

Among the incredible piles of coral you can find sharks and rays, tuna, lobsters, gorgonians, sea snakes and the usual tropical fish.

Varieties by shape

Corals are primarily classified by shape. In total, there are two main existing subclasses - eight-rayed and six-rayed, and one extinct - four-rayed. And these subclasses are divided into separate units.

Eight-rayed corals

Eight-rayed corals, also known as alcyonaria, are coral polyps that form colonies of very small bushes. Their size usually does not exceed 1 cm. The peculiarity of this species is the presence of a corolla, eight tentacles and the same number of partitions.

Six-rayed corals

One of the most common types of coral polyps. They can exist alone or create entire colonies. They are characterized by six-ray symmetry, that is, the number of tentacles they have is equal to or a multiple of 6. In rare cases, it is 5, 8 or 10.

Quadruple corals

Quadruped corals, or rugosas, are a subclass of extinct polyps. They were widespread during the Paleozoic period and lived, as a rule, on a leveled area of the underwater edge of the continent (coastal platform), which is adjacent to the land. The conditions for their survival were quite demanding - only warm temperatures and clean water.

The rugosa subclass itself included two main orders - Cystiphyllida and Stauriida, which consisted of eight families and 13 suborders.

Roatan Island in the Caribbean Sea

In this area you can see one of the largest reefs on the planet - Mesoamerican. Divers have been attacking the coral cluster here for only about 10 years, so so far there has not been much damage to the reef.

Incredible growths, unique intricate shapes, amazingly bright colors are mesmerizing, and the most beautiful tropical fish that have chosen the reef to live, swimming here in whole schools, add charm to the place.

Corals - photo

The reefs have an indescribable appearance. Sometimes it is difficult to imagine that such beauty can be located in the depths of the seas and oceans.

For example, this type of carpeting is created not by people, but by Acropora cerealis.

One of the species of Gorgonaria looks more like a fan, or even vaguely resembles a jellyfish.

Another Gorgonaria, but with a bushy structure.

And here it may seem that this is a solid coral polyp, but in fact it is a whole colony of living organisms.

One of the most bizarre is Spiral Ceripates. It usually lives at depth and has a unique structure. As it grows, its main body twists into a spiral.

It is noteworthy that reefs often become spawning grounds for fish. Thickets of polyps protect future offspring from predators. As an example, Alcyonaria, which has become a kind of nest for marine life.

The red acabaria is a unique two-colored polyp that is a huge success to find in the sea.

Another coral that is unique due to its shade. Palitoa is painted in two colors at the same time: blue and purple.

Healing properties of the stone

Since ancient times, coral has been in demand among healers from different countries. So, even in ancient Rome, healers used the stone to accelerate the fusion of bones and the healing of wounds. Sore spots were treated with the powder that was obtained from it. It also helped with poisonous insect and snake bites. Modern lithotherapists have no doubt about the disinfecting and healing properties of the stone.

Natural coral treats nervous tics, normalizes sleep, helps get out of depression, and has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.

Lithotherapists advise wearing coral beads for throat diseases and colds. Speakers, teachers, and singers should also wear such beads.

Blood with natural stone is renewed and blood circulation improves. It helps with diseases of the circulatory system, anemia, diabetes, gives a tonic effect, helps to concentrate, improves memory.

People who are struggling with extra pounds should pay close attention to coral, as it reduces their appetite. In addition, it helps remove waste and toxins from the body.

The stone is a beacon of disease. You should carefully monitor it and if cracks or dark spots are noticed on its surface, this will be a signal of an incipient disease.

What is a coral polyp?

It would be more correct to ask “who is this,” because only at first glance it seems that coral reefs are piles of calcareous formations consisting of the skeletons of dead polyps. But in fact, if we are talking about a living reef, coral polyps are animals. And also on the same reef there may be skeletons of dead polyps that make up the skeleton of the reef. And on the surface there may be living polyps.

So, Red Sea coral polyp is a living organism belonging to the species Cnidari phylum. It has sizes from 1 to 30 mm. The polyp consists of tentacles and a gastric part. The tentacles have special stinging cells that secrete a burning liquid to catch prey. Polyps feed on plankton. As we said earlier, living corals actively coexist with zooxanthellae - special algae that give polyps their color. Coral polyps of the species Cnidari phylum also include jellyfish and sea anemones , which are participants in the life cycle of the polyps.

Observing the life of corals, you can compare them with plants that live on land. Let's look at several of their varieties.

Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean

200 square kilometers of pristine, untouched beauty. Of course, if the atoll were located near tourist-active places, it would hardly have been preserved in such excellent condition.

But his inaccessibility served him well. Only true fans of deep-sea diving go there to places where corals reign. In addition, the reef is a UNESCO protected site.

Among other things, an incredible number of turtles live here - about 150 thousand individuals.

Fire coral

Fire coral belongs to the genus Millepora. They are very common in the Red Sea. Carefully! Fire corals got their name not because of their color, but because of the very burning liquid that they secrete from their tentacles. When they come into contact with a human body, they can easily burn with poison. We will talk about first aid later.

Fire coral Millepora

Palancar in the Caribbean

The five-kilometer reef is interesting for its structure; here you can find not only the rarest black corals, but also dive into deep caves, and also get acquainted with its rare and sometimes dangerous inhabitants.

In addition to schools of colorful tropical fish, deep-sea diving enthusiasts can find barracuda, moray eels, eagle rays, as well as all kinds of crustaceans and arthropods here.

Broccoli corals

These underwater inhabitants belong to the genus Lithophyton arboreum. They got their name from their similarity to broccoli . They live on reefs located near the surface of the water. Broccoli corals come in a variety of colors , from yellow-green to purple. It all depends on what zooxanthellae inhabit them.

Coral-broccoli Lithophyton arboreum green

Coral-broccoli Lithophytom-arboreum pink

Apo in the South China Sea

Among the incredible piles of coral you can find sharks and rays, tuna, lobsters, gorgonians, sea snakes and the usual tropical fish.

Roatan Island in the Caribbean Sea

Magic gift of the sea

The magical properties of coral are aimed at protecting its owner. First of all, it protects a person while traveling. The amulet has the most powerful effect on water. In ancient times they believed that this “son of the sea” could pacify the elements, preventing storms and storms.

In addition to protection from natural phenomena, some types of jewelry, such as green coral, can protect against illness, accidents and even damage. Therefore, in ancient Greece, such amulets were often purchased for children.

In India, people still believe that the magical properties of the stone give wisdom, develop intuition and the gift of foresight. In addition, it can be used to cleanse your own mind of bad thoughts.

The talisman allows you to improve your family life, but you need to know what colors to choose. Jewelry and talismans with pink corals are considered the most effective. They have the gift of reviving feelings and passion between spouses, and also smooth out conflicts.

It is worth noting that a white coral bracelet is suitable for women, but for men it is better to choose jewelry in red shades.

Climate

If you look at the map, you can see that the sea lies in the tropical zone, south of the equator. Only a small part of it is located in the subtropics. In this regard, the coast is characterized by a warm climate. Water temperatures are stable and average 29 degrees in the north and 20 degrees in the south. The warm south-eastern trade winds predominantly dominate over the sea area. There is clear sunny weather here all year round. There is practically no sweltering heat or winter cold. Even in cases when the thermometer approaches 40 degrees, a person feels quite comfortable thanks to the light breeze. The only exception is the coast of the islands, which have been active volcanoes for a very long time.

It should be noted that the region where the Coral Sea is located is a zone of seismic activity. In this regard, earthquakes have been repeatedly recorded here over the past century. The most powerful of them occurred less than ten years ago in the Solomon Islands.

general description

The water area is located next to Australia, south of New Guinea. The sea is separated from the Pacific Ocean by islands such as New Britain, the Solomon Islands and the New Hebrides. Since a significant part of it is located outside the continental shelf, it is deep-sea. The greatest depth of the Coral Sea is 9140 meters. This place is known as the Bougainville Trench and is located near the Solomon Islands. The bottom surface is distinguished by a highly dissected relief and numerous depressions. In addition, the reservoir is characterized by strong changes in depth. In shallow water the bottom is covered with sand.

The bay of the Coral Sea, called Papua, deserves special mention. It is located on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, being one of the most picturesque and popular among tourists. Its length is about 150 kilometers, and its maximum depth is 969 meters.