Geology - Corals
- Created by: Melissa Hale
- Created on: 10-01-18 08:59
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- Corals
- Phylum = Cnidaria
- Class = Anthozoa
- Morphology
- Their bodies consist of two layers, an outer ectoderm and an inner ectoderm.
- They have stinging cells called nematoblasts
- There are two main types of coral: Solitary and compound.
- Solitary: have one polyp, which secretes a single skeleton.
- Compound: many polyps living together in a communal fashion with many skeletons or corralites fused together.
- A polyp is a soft bodied organism that secretes a calcium carbonate skeleton.
- Solitary: have one polyp, which secretes a single skeleton.
- A polyp is a soft bodied organism that secretes a calcium carbonate skeleton.
- The calice is a bowl shaped depression where the soft polyp sits.
- The epitheca is the outermost layer of the coral skeleton.
- The columella is the axial rod which supports the septa, running up the centre of some corals.
- The corallite is the skeleton produced by one coral polyp.
- There are three main types of coral.
- Tabulata
- Extinct
- Well developed tabulae
- Corallites are usually small and mural pores may be present in some species.
- They show radial symmetry
- Many planes of symmetry can be seen
- Development of septa is poor or absent
- Do not have a columella
- Scleractinian
- Extant
- Either solitary or colonial
- May have dissepiments and they always have tabulae.
- Tabulata
- How do modern corals live?
- Some species of coral have a type of algae living inside of them.
- These algae are called Zooxanthellae
- There is a symbiotic relationship between the algae and the coral.
- The algae can photosynthesise as they contain chloroplasts in their cells.
- The algae takes the CO2, phosphates and nitrates produced as waste from the coral and uses them to produce oxygen, water, amino acids and sugars.
- The coral uses the waste from the algae.
- These organisms cannot survive without each other.
- The coral uses the waste from the algae.
- The algae takes the CO2, phosphates and nitrates produced as waste from the coral and uses them to produce oxygen, water, amino acids and sugars.
- The algae can photosynthesise as they contain chloroplasts in their cells.
- Some species of coral have a type of algae living inside of them.
- Soft bodied Polyp
- After death, the soft tissue is not preserved.
- Soft bodied polyps sit on top of the hard secreted skeleton or calice.
- The polyp itself has tentacles which it extends for feeding purposes, usually at night.
- Untitled
- Conditions needed for coral growth
- Above 30m in depth as they need sunlight
- Clear water so the algae can get sun and photosynthsis
- High energy so that there is more oxygen in the water and circulates the nutrients.
- Salinity of 30-40 parts per thousand
- Temperatures between 23 and 27 degrees
- Rugose
- The epitheca is often wrinkled in solitary forms and they may be "horn-shaped"
- Can be colonial or solitary
- Extinct
- Corallites are usually large with no mural pores or connections between the corallites.
- There are three main types of coral.
- Tabulata
- Extinct
- Well developed tabulae
- Corallites are usually small and mural pores may be present in some species.
- They show radial symmetry
- Many planes of symmetry can be seen
- Development of septa is poor or absent
- Do not have a columella
- Scleractinian
- Extant
- Either solitary or colonial
- May have dissepiments and they always have tabulae.
- Tabulata
- They show one plane of symmetry known as bilateral symmetry.
- This symmetry is picked out by the distinct septa, the plates that run vertically in the skeleton.
- They always have a columella and may have dissepiments between the septa but not always present.
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