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Montipora Dilatata
''Montipora dilatata'', commonly known as the Hawaiian reef coral, is a species of coral in the family Acroporidae. Description Morphology of this species can be quite variable. Colonies may be any combination of encrustations, plates, knobs, and branches. ''Montipora dilatata'' is a glabro-favoleate type that is characterized by a very smooth surface. Colonies are usually purple or brown and reach 3 feet (1 m) in diameter. The species only occurs in the Hawaiian archipelago, in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, and in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) at Midway Atoll, Pearl and Hermes Atoll, Lisianski Island, Laysan Island, Maro Reef, and French Frigate Shoals. Ecology This species requires calm water in sub-tidal environments. The species is easily broken into fragments by storms or bioerosion, with the fragments readily growing into new colonies. This species occurs in lagoons and bays and appears to be restricted to shallow, low-water motion environments. This speci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. Other ways of defining species include their karyotype, DNA sequence, morphology, behaviour or ecological niche. In addition, paleontologists use the concept of the chronospecies since fossil reproduction cannot be examined. The most recent rigorous estimate for the total number of species of eukaryotes is between 8 and 8.7 million. However, only about 14% of these had been described by 2011. All species (except viruses) are given a two-part name, a "binomial". The first part of a binomial is the genus to which the species belongs. The second part is called the specific name or the specific epithet (in botanical nomenclature, also sometimes i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bioerosion
Bioerosion describes the breakdown of hard ocean substrates – and less often terrestrial substrates – by living organisms. Marine bioerosion can be caused by mollusks, polychaete worms, phoronids, sponges, crustaceans, echinoids, and fish; it can occur on coastlines, on coral reefs, and on ships; its mechanisms include biotic boring, drilling, rasping, and scraping. On dry land, bioerosion is typically performed by pioneer plants or plant-like organisms such as lichen, and mostly chemical (e.g. by acidic secretions on limestone) or mechanical (e.g. by roots growing into cracks) in nature. Bioerosion of coral reefs generates the fine and white coral sand characteristic of tropical islands. The coral is converted to sand by internal bioeroders such as algae, fungi, bacteria (microborers) and sponges (Clionaidae), bivalves (including '' Lithophaga''), sipunculans, polychaetes, acrothoracican barnacles and phoronids, generating extremely fine sediment with diameters of 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coral Reefs
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of Colony (biology), colonies of coral polyp (zoology), polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Coral belongs to the Class (biology), class Anthozoa in the animal phylum Cnidaria, which includes sea anemones and jellyfish. Unlike sea anemones, corals secrete hard carbonate exoskeletons that support and protect the coral. Most reefs grow best in warm, shallow, clear, sunny and agitated water. Coral reefs first appeared 485 million years ago, at the dawn of the Early Ordovician, displacing the microbial and sponge reefs of the Cambrian. Sometimes called ''rainforests of the sea'', shallow coral reefs form some of Earth's most diverse ecosystems. They occupy less than 0.1% of the world's ocean area, about half the area of France, yet they provide a home for at least 25% of all marine species, including fis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cnidarians Of Hawaii
Cnidaria () is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found both in freshwater and marine environments, predominantly the latter. Their distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that they use mainly for capturing prey. Their bodies consist of mesoglea, a non-living jelly-like substance, sandwiched between two layers of epithelium that are mostly one cell thick. Cnidarians mostly have two basic body forms: swimming medusae and sessile polyps, both of which are radially symmetrical with mouths surrounded by tentacles that bear cnidocytes. Both forms have a single orifice and body cavity that are used for digestion and respiration. Many cnidarian species produce colonies that are single organisms composed of medusa-like or polyp-like zooids, or both (hence they are trimorphic). Cnidarians' activities are coordinated by a decentralized nerve net and simple receptors. Several free-swimming species of Cubozoa and Scyphozoa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditions, charts the seas, conducts deep sea exploration, and manages fishing and protection of marine mammals and endangered species in the U.S. exclusive economic zone. Purpose and function NOAA's specific roles include: * ''Supplying Environmental Information Products''. NOAA supplies to its customers and partners information pertaining to the state of the oceans and the atmosphere, such as weather warnings and forecasts via the National Weather Service. NOAA's information services extend as well to climate, ecosystems, and commerce. * ''Providing Environmental Stewardship Services''. NOAA is a steward of U.S. coastal and marine environments. In coordination with federal, state, local, tribal and international authorities, NOAA manages the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dictyosphaeria Cavernosa
''Dictyosphaeria cavernosa'' is a species of green algae (class Ulvophyceae) in the family Siphonocladaceae Siphonocladaceae is a family of green algae, in the order Cladophorales.See the NCBI The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) is part of the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM), a branch of the National Institut ..., one of the three species in this family. Description ''Dictyospharea cavernosa'' is multicelluar with multiple bumps or bubbles on the surface. ''Dictyosphaeria cavernosa'' is hollow in contrast to its sister species ''D. versluysii'' of the same appearance which is solid. Habitat ''Dictyosphaeria cavernosa'' is usually found in the crevices of rock formations around rocky tidal pools. It may look like a green rock at first, but it is a ''Dictyosphaeria cavernosa''. References {{taxonbar, from=Q49420291 Siphonocladaceae Plants described in 1932 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eucheuma
''Eucheuma'', commonly known as gusô (), is a rhodophyte seaweed that may vary in color (red, brown, and green). ''Eucheuma'' species are used in the production of carrageenan, an ingredient for cosmetics, food processing, and industrial manufacturing, as well as a food source for people in the Philippines and parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. ''Eucheuma cottonii'' – cultivated in the Philippines – is the particular species known as gusô. Other species include ''Betaphycus gelatinae'', ''Eucheuma denticulatum'', and several species of the genus ''Kappaphycus'', including ''K. alvarezii''. Since the mid-1970s, ''Kappaphycus'' and ''Eucheuma'' have been a major source for the expansion of the carrageenan industry. Commercial seaweed farming of gusô (as well as ''Kappaphycus'') was pioneered in the Philippines. Though commercially significant, species of ''Eucheuma'' are difficult to identify without the aid of close scientific examination, as different species may have similar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kappaphycus
''Kappaphycus'' is a genus of red algae. Species are distributed in the waters of East Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hainan Island, the Philippines, and Micronesia.Guiry, M. D. In: Guiry, M. D. & G. M. Guiry. 2013''Kappaphycus''.AlgaeBase. National University of Ireland, Galway. Accessed 07 November 2013. Genus ''Kappaphycus'' is "morphologically plastic", with few visible characters that can be used to separate the taxa, so distinguishing the species can be difficult. In addition, many commercial varieties have been bred. Molecular analyses can be used. In general, these algae have fleshy thalli that grow erect from one or more anchors. The longest individuals can exceed a meter in length. All species produce kappa-carrageenan. Farming of this is a large business in the Philippines. Gavino Trono is a Filipino biologist dubbed the “Father of Kappaphycus farming”. ''Kappaphycus alvarezii'' is widely cultivated as a raw source of carrageenan, and other species are used, as well ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gracilaria Salicornia
''Gracilaria'' is a genus of red algae (Rhodophyta) notable for its economic importance as an agarophyte, as well as its use as a food for humans and various species of shellfish. Various species within the genus are cultivated among Asia, South America, Africa and Oceania. Taxonomy ''Gracilaria'' contains the following subtaxa: *'' Gracilaria abbottiana'' M.D.Hoyle *'' Gracilaria abyssalis'' Gurgel & Yoneshigue-Valentin *'' Gracilaria aculeata'' (Hering) Papenfuss *'' Gracilaria aggregata'' Hooker f. & Harvey *'' Gracilaria ambigua'' Greville *''Gracilaria apiculata'' P.Crouan & H.Crouan ** ''Gracilaria apiculata'' subsp. ''candelabriformis'' Gurgel, Fredericq & J.N.Norris *'' Gracilaria apiculifera'' J.Agardh ** ''Gracilaria arcuata'' f. ''rhizophora'' Børgesen ** ''Gracilaria arcuata'' var. ''attenuata'' Umamaheswara Rao ** ''Gracilaria arcuata'' var. ''snackeyi'' Weber Bosse *''Gracilaria arcuata'' Zanardini *''Gracilaria armata'' (C.Agardh) Greville *'' Gracilaria articula ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Frigate Shoals
The French Frigate Shoals ( Hawaiian: Kānemilohai) is the largest atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Its name commemorates French explorer Jean-François de La Pérouse, who nearly lost two frigates when attempting to navigate the shoals. It consists of a crescent-shaped reef, twelve sandbars, and the La Perouse Pinnacle, the only remnant of its volcanic origins. The total land area of the islets is . Total coral reef area of the shoals is over . Tern Island, with an area of , has a landing strip and permanent habitations for a small number of people. It is maintained as a field station in the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The French Frigate Shoals are about northwest of Honolulu. In the 20th century, the shoals were used by the Imperial Japanese Navy as part of an operation to attack Hawaii; afterwards, a small United States Navy base was established there to prevent it from being used again. After th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton. A coral "group" is a colony of very many genetically identical polyps. Each polyp is a sac-like animal typically only a few millimeters in diameter and a few centimeters in height. A set of tentacles surround a central mouth opening. Each polyp excretes an exoskeleton near the base. Over many generations, the colony thus creates a skeleton characteristic of the species which can measure up to several meters in size. Individual colonies grow by asexual reproduction of polyps. Corals also breed sexually by spawning: polyps of the same species release gametes simultaneously overnight, often around a full moon. Fertilized eggs form planulae, a mobile early form of the coral polyp which, when m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
