Coralliidae
1 species
Coralliidae, also known as precious corals, is a taxonomic family of soft corals belonging to the suborder Scleraxonia of the phylum Cnidaria. These sessile corals are one of the most dominant members of hard-bottomed benthic environments such as seamounts, canyons and continental shelves. From this coral family results 69 descendants in which each species plays a key role in forming habitats for a variety of marine species.
Due to their unique trait of possessing a red calcium carbonate skeleton, these corals can be harvested in order to create handcrafted amulets, jewelry and other valuable artifacts, giving rise to its reputed name of "precious corals". Correspondingly, members of this family are vulnerable to the negative impacts of overharvestation imposed by mass coral trade.
Species belonging to this family of Coralliidae typically inhabit tropical, subtropical and temperate oceans regions within oceans around the world. Unlike corals which can be found in shallow waters, these precious corals can be found in greater depths of 60 to 2,000 meters (200 to 6,560 feet). Most species can be found in large numbers around the west and central Pacific, including the surrounding seas of New Caledonia, Taiwan, Japan and the Hawaiian Archipelago. Species diversity of this family of corals is decreased in the Atlantic, Indian, and eastern Pacific oceans. However, corals of the Hemicorallium and Paracorallium genera can be found in abundance around the seamounts around Japan and China. Likewise, the corals of the genera Corallium are widespread along the Mediterranean and the neighboring Atlantic coasts and is primarily seen around the central and western basin. Whereas population tends to decrease in deeper water in the eastern basin and around the Canary Islands, southern Portugal and Cape Verde. The two places to date that have been reported to have high levels of species diversity and exploited populations are the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent Atlantic, together with the Northern Pacific Ocean.
Coralliidae, also known as precious corals, is a taxonomic family of soft corals belonging to the suborder Scleraxonia of the phylum Cnidaria. These sessile corals are one of the most dominant members of hard-bottomed benthic environments such as seamounts, canyons and continental shelves. From this coral family results 69 descendants in which each species plays a key role in forming habitats for a variety of marine species.
Due to their unique trait of possessing a red calcium carbonate skeleton, these corals can be harvested in order to create handcrafted amulets, jewelry and other valuable artifacts, giving rise to its reputed name of "precious corals". Correspondingly, members of this family are vulnerable to the negative impacts of overharvestation imposed by mass coral trade.
Species belonging to this family of Coralliidae typically inhabit tropical, subtropical and temperate oceans regions within oceans around the world. Unlike corals which can be found in shallow waters, these precious corals can be found in greater depths of 60 to 2,000 meters (200 to 6,560 feet). Most species can be found in large numbers around the west and central Pacific, including the surrounding seas of New Caledonia, Taiwan, Japan and the Hawaiian Archipelago. Species diversity of this family of corals is decreased in the Atlantic, Indian, and eastern Pacific oceans. However, corals of the Hemicorallium and Paracorallium genera can be found in abundance around the seamounts around Japan and China. Likewise, the corals of the genera Corallium are widespread along the Mediterranean and the neighboring Atlantic coasts and is primarily seen around the central and western basin. Whereas population tends to decrease in deeper water in the eastern basin and around the Canary Islands, southern Portugal and Cape Verde. The two places to date that have been reported to have high levels of species diversity and exploited populations are the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent Atlantic, together with the Northern Pacific Ocean.
