scleractinian
Reef-building marine animal
Scleractinian refers to stony corals—the reef-building corals that secrete hard calcium carbonate skeletons.
These are the primary architects of coral reefs, distinguished from soft corals by their rigid limestone structures.
The term appears in marine biology and ecology: Scleractinian corals are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification.
Also used as a noun for an individual coral of this order.
Internal anatomical partition
- columellaSmall central supporting shaft
- thecaProtective biological envelope
- mesenteryTissue suspending intestines internally
- tentacleFlexible grasping appendage
skeleton · polyp · budding · growth form · branching · massive · encrusting
Calcium-secreting reef organism
- polypFleshy membrane projection
- invertebrateAnimal sans backbone
- sessileAttached at base
- colonialOf occupied territories
solitary · genus · species · family · order · classification · phylogeny · clade
Calcium carbonate marine ecosystem
- reef-buildingCreating marine limestone structures
- frameworkUnderlying support system
- carbonateAdd dissolved gas
- accretionGrowth through external addition
Great Barrier Reef · atoll · barrier reef · lagoon · coral head · biodiversity · ecosystem · substrate
Interspecies biological interdependence
- photosynthesisLight-to-sugar conversion in plants
- bleachingChemical color removal
- thermal stressStrain from temperature change
- ocean acidificationSeawater pH dropping from CO2
spawning · brooder · larvae · recruitment · competition · predation · crown-of-thorns · parrotfish
Preserved ancient organism
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
- MesozoicAge of Reptiles
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- PaleoceneEarliest Cenozoic epoch
rugose · tabulate · ancestor · limestone · preservation · paleoecology · mass extinction · recovery
septum
Internal anatomical partition
- columellaSmall central supporting shaft
- thecaProtective biological envelope
- mesenteryTissue suspending intestines internally
tentacle · skeleton · polyp · budding · growth form · branching · massive · encrusting
stony coral
Calcium-secreting reef organism
- polypFleshy membrane projection
- invertebrateAnimal sans backbone
- sessileAttached at base
colonial · solitary · genus · species · family · order · classification · phylogeny · clade
coral reef
Calcium carbonate marine ecosystem
- reef-buildingCreating marine limestone structures
- frameworkUnderlying support system
- carbonateAdd dissolved gas
accretion · Great Barrier Reef · atoll · barrier reef · lagoon · coral head · biodiversity · ecosystem · substrate · colonization
symbiosis
Interspecies biological interdependence
- photosynthesisLight-to-sugar conversion in plants
- bleachingChemical color removal
- thermal stressStrain from temperature change
ocean acidification · spawning · brooder · larvae · recruitment · competition · predation · crown-of-thorns · parrotfish · disease
fossil
Preserved ancient organism
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
- MesozoicAge of Reptiles
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
Paleocene · rugose · tabulate · ancestor · limestone · preservation · paleoecology · mass extinction · recovery · diversification
- cnidarianssea anemone, stony coral, moon jelly, jellyfish, anemones
scleractiniansoft-bodied
Lacking internal skeleton
flexible · gelatinous · sea anemone · jellyfish · hydroid