Reef Coral Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas : Including Marine PlantsYou know the fishes and can identify the reef critters, but what about the animals that actually form a coral reef? Existing in an abundance of colors and intriguing shapes, these animals are worth a closer look. 530 classic photographs of living specimens and the most current scientific classifications help identify virtually every species of stony coral, gorgonian, fire coral and black coral inhabiting the tropical western Atlantic. The new 2nd edition includes a comprehensive photo essay of coral diseases and predation and a photo gallery on coral reproduction. If you want to know more about marine plants, we've got them, too; an appendix with descriptions and photos of 100 species of marine plants is included. Improved flexi-binding with plastic covers allows book to lie flat. |
Contents
Overview | 8 |
Appendix I Marine Plants | 188 |
Coral Health and Mortality | 240 |
Copyright | |
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ABUNDANCE & DISTRIBUTION Agaricia Bahamas Bearded Fireworm Black Coral blades bleaching Boulder Star Coral Brain Coral bushy Cactus Coral calyces Caribbean Chlorophyta Green Algae Colonies form Colony height color Common South Florida Common to occasional continued from previous Coral Colony coral diseases coral reefs corallites Cup Coral DEPTH diameter Elkhorn Coral encrusting Faviina FAMILY feet Finger Coral Fire Coral genus gorgonians gray grow HABITAT & BEHAVIOR Holaxonia FAMILY Inhabit most reef ledge overhangs Lettuce Coral magnified examination NOTE Occasional Florida Occasional South Florida orange patch reefs PHYLUM Pictured specimen Plexauridae Polyp detail polyps extended polyps retracted positive identification requires reef environments ridges rocky substrates Sargassum Sea Fan Sea Plume Sea Rod Sea Whip septa Sheet Coral similar single planes skeleton species sponge Staghorn Coral stalks Star Coral Starlet Coral stony corals structure SUBORDER surface tentacles thin tissue valleys VISUAL ID visual identification confirmed yellow yellow-brown zooxanthellae