20 – Hexacorals 2: Reef-building or Hard Corals
221
One genus, Acanthastrea, is common in high latitude
reefs, such as Moreton Bay.
Some of the minor coral families are shown in
Fig. 20.6L and Fig. 20.7D–I.
N PRESERVATION
It is important to remember that taking corals from the
wild is illegal without a permit from the relevant organisation, usually the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority, Moreton Bay Marine Park Authority or the
state Environmental Protection Agencies. Corals are
prepared for laboratory identification by bleaching
with household bleach and rinsing in fresh water, then
drying them bone dry in the sun. For genetic studies, a
very small piece of tissue is taken and placed in a specified medium, most frequently full strength ethanol.
For studies of tissue structures (e.g. gonads) and for
histological sections, a sample should be fixed in 4%
formaldehyde for 48 hours and then placed in 75%
ethanol.
ADDITIONAL READING
Cairns, S. D. (2004). The azooxanthellate Scleractinia
(Coelenterata: Anthozoa) of Australia. Records of the
Australian Museum 56, 259–329.
Deas, W., and Deas, J. (2005). ‘Coral Reefs: Nature’s
Wonders.’ (Western Australian Museum: Perth.)
Fautin, D. G. (2006). Hexacorallians of the World.
http://geoportal.kgs.ku.edu/hexacoral/ anemone2/
index.cfm [Verified 21 March 2008].
Harrison, P. L., and Booth, D. J. (2007). Coral reefs:
naturally dynamic and increasingly disturbed ecosystems. In ‘Marine Ecology’. Chapter 13. (Eds S. D.
Connell and B. M. Gillanders.) pp. 316–377. (Oxford
University Press: Melbourne.)
Harrison, P. L., and Wallace, C. C. (1990). Reproduction, larval dispersal and settlement of scleractinian corals. In ‘Ecosystems of the World: Coral
Reefs’. (Ed. Z. Dubinsky.) pp. 133–208. (Elsevier:
Amsterdam.)
Veron, J. E. N. (1987). ‘Corals of Australia and the IndoPacific.’ (Angus and Robertson: North Ryde.)
Veron, J. E. N. (2000). ‘Corals of the World. Vols 1–3.’
(Australian Institute of Marine Science: Melbourne.)
Wallace, C., and Aw, M. (2000). ‘Staghorn Corals: A
‘Getting to Know You and Identification Guide.’
(OceanEnvironment: Singapore.)
Wallace, C. C. (1999). ‘Staghorn Corals of the World: A
Revision of the Coral Genus Acropora ( Scleractinia;
Astrocoeniina; Acroporidae) Worldwide, with
Emphasis on Morphology, Phylogeny and Biogeography.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Wallace, C. C., Lovell, E. R., and Alderslade, P. N. (1984).
Corals: animal, vegetable or mineral? In ‘ Reader’s
Digest Book of the Great Barrier Reef’. (Ed. F. Talbot.)
pp. 95–131. (Reader’s Digest: Sydney.)
Wells, J. W. (1956). Scleractinia. In ‘Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology’. (Ed. R. C. Moore.) pp. F328–
F444. (Geological Society of Australia and U. Kansas
Press.)
221
One genus, Acanthastrea, is common in high latitude
reefs, such as Moreton Bay.
Some of the minor coral families are shown in
Fig. 20.6L and Fig. 20.7D–I.
N PRESERVATION
It is important to remember that taking corals from the
wild is illegal without a permit from the relevant organisation, usually the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority, Moreton Bay Marine Park Authority or the
state Environmental Protection Agencies. Corals are
prepared for laboratory identification by bleaching
with household bleach and rinsing in fresh water, then
drying them bone dry in the sun. For genetic studies, a
very small piece of tissue is taken and placed in a specified medium, most frequently full strength ethanol.
For studies of tissue structures (e.g. gonads) and for
histological sections, a sample should be fixed in 4%
formaldehyde for 48 hours and then placed in 75%
ethanol.
ADDITIONAL READING
Cairns, S. D. (2004). The azooxanthellate Scleractinia
(Coelenterata: Anthozoa) of Australia. Records of the
Australian Museum 56, 259–329.
Deas, W., and Deas, J. (2005). ‘Coral Reefs: Nature’s
Wonders.’ (Western Australian Museum: Perth.)
Fautin, D. G. (2006). Hexacorallians of the World.
http://geoportal.kgs.ku.edu/hexacoral/ anemone2/
index.cfm [Verified 21 March 2008].
Harrison, P. L., and Booth, D. J. (2007). Coral reefs:
naturally dynamic and increasingly disturbed ecosystems. In ‘Marine Ecology’. Chapter 13. (Eds S. D.
Connell and B. M. Gillanders.) pp. 316–377. (Oxford
University Press: Melbourne.)
Harrison, P. L., and Wallace, C. C. (1990). Reproduction, larval dispersal and settlement of scleractinian corals. In ‘Ecosystems of the World: Coral
Reefs’. (Ed. Z. Dubinsky.) pp. 133–208. (Elsevier:
Amsterdam.)
Veron, J. E. N. (1987). ‘Corals of Australia and the IndoPacific.’ (Angus and Robertson: North Ryde.)
Veron, J. E. N. (2000). ‘Corals of the World. Vols 1–3.’
(Australian Institute of Marine Science: Melbourne.)
Wallace, C., and Aw, M. (2000). ‘Staghorn Corals: A
‘Getting to Know You and Identification Guide.’
(OceanEnvironment: Singapore.)
Wallace, C. C. (1999). ‘Staghorn Corals of the World: A
Revision of the Coral Genus Acropora ( Scleractinia;
Astrocoeniina; Acroporidae) Worldwide, with
Emphasis on Morphology, Phylogeny and Biogeography.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Wallace, C. C., Lovell, E. R., and Alderslade, P. N. (1984).
Corals: animal, vegetable or mineral? In ‘ Reader’s
Digest Book of the Great Barrier Reef’. (Ed. F. Talbot.)
pp. 95–131. (Reader’s Digest: Sydney.)
Wells, J. W. (1956). Scleractinia. In ‘Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology’. (Ed. R. C. Moore.) pp. F328–
F444. (Geological Society of Australia and U. Kansas
Press.)