Bamboo coral, family Isididae, is a family of mostly

deep-sea The deep sea is broadly defined as the ocean depth where light begins to fade, at an approximate depth of 200 metres (656 feet) or the point of transition from continental shelves to continental slopes. Conditions within the deep sea are a combin ...

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 ...

of the phylum

Cnidaria 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 ...

. It is a commonly recognized inhabitant of the deep sea, due to the clearly articulated skeletons of the species.

Deep water coral The habitat of deep-water corals, also known as cold-water corals, extends to deeper, darker parts of the oceans than tropical corals, ranging from near the surface to the abyss, beyond where water temperatures may be as cold as . Deep-water cor ...

species such as this are especially affected by the practice of

bottom trawling Bottom trawling is trawling (towing a trawl, which is a fishing net) along the seafloor. It is also referred to as "dragging". The scientific community divides bottom trawling into benthic trawling and demersal trawling. Benthic trawling is towing ...

. These organisms may be an important environmental indicator in the study of long term climate change, as some specimens of bamboo coral have been discovered that are 4,000 years old.

Description

Relatively little is known about bamboo coral. The skeletons of bamboo coral are made up of calcium carbonate in the form of tree-like branches alternating with joint-like nodes or axes composed of gorgonin protein. The alternation of the bony structures with the smaller gorgonin parts give the bamboo coral a finger-like appearance similar to that of the

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

plant on land. Bamboo coral was reported in 2005 to have been found on a dozen seamounts in the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

between

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Co ...

, and

Kodiak, Alaska Kodiak ( Alutiiq: , russian: Кадьяк), formerly Paul's Harbor, is the main city and one of seven communities on Kodiak Island in Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska. All commercial transportation between the island's communities and the outside ...

. Ages and growth rates of bamboo coral in the deepest water are unknown. However, based on radiocarbon-based growth rate and age data from specimens in the

Gulf of Alaska The Gulf of Alaska (Tlingit: ''Yéil T'ooch’'') is an arm of the Pacific Ocean defined by the curve of the southern coast of Alaska, stretching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west to the Alexander Archipelago in the east ...

, the life span has been estimated to be between 75 and 126 years. Recently, a mission funded by the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 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 conditio ...

(NOAA) discovered seven new species of bamboo coral in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, a

U.S. national monument In the United States, a national monument is a protected area that can be created from any land owned or controlled by the federal government by proclamation of the President of the United States or an act of Congress. National monuments prot ...

lying primarily in deep waters off the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, using the ''

Pisces V ''Pisces V'' is a type of manned submersible ocean exploration device, powered by battery, and capable of operating to depths of , a depth that is optimum for use in the sea waters around the Hawaiian Islands. It is used by scientists to explore ...

''. Of these seven new species, six may represent completely new genera (that is, major new classification categories). Data from these findings are still being analyzed. A bamboo coral "tree", five feet tall, was described for the first time by the mission. Scientists also found an area of dead coral, about and more than deep. The cause of death of the coral community is unknown but it is estimated to have occurred several thousand to perhaps over a million years ago. Deep sea bamboo coral provides the ecosystems to support deep sea life and also may be among the first organisms to display the effects of changes in

ocean acidification Ocean acidification is the reduction in the pH value of the Earth’s ocean. Between 1751 and 2021, the average pH value of the ocean surface has decreased from approximately 8.25 to 8.14. The root cause of ocean acidification is carbon dioxid ...

caused by excess

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide ( chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is trans ...

, since they produce growth rings similar to those of a tree and can provide a view of changes in the condition in the deep sea over time. Some bamboo coral can be especially long-lived; coral specimens as old as 4,000 years were found at the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, giving scientists a window into the ocean's past. One scientist said the coral provided "4,000 years worth of information about what has been going on in the deep ocean interior". Deep water coral organisms such as bamboo coral are especially affected by the practice of

. Other research has raised the possibility that Isididae corals, because of their potential to mimic biological properties, may potentially be used as living bone implants as well as in aquatic cultivation.

Genera

The following genera are currently described in the family Isididae: *'' Acanella'' Gray, 1870 *'' Acanthoisis'' Studer, 1887 *'' Annisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Australisis'' Bayer & Stefani, 1987 *'' Bathygorgia'' Wright, 1885 *'' Caribisis'' Bayer & Stefani, 1987 *'' Chathamisis'' Grant, 1976 *'' Chelidonisis'' Studer, 1890 *'' Circinisis'' Grant, 1976 *'' Cladarisis'' Watling, 2015 *'' Echinisis'' Thomson & Rennet, 1932 *'' Eknomisis'' Watling & France, 2011 *'' Florectisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Gorgonisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Iotisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Isidella'' Gray, 1857 *''

Isis Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kin ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758 *'' Jasminisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Jasonisis'' Alderslade & McFadden, 2012 *'' Keratoisis'' Wright, 1869 *'' Ktenosquamisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Lepidisis'' Verrill, 1883 *'' Lissopholidisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Minuisis'' Grant, 1976 *'' Mopsea'' Lamouroux, 1816 *'' Muricellisis'' Kükenthal, 1915 *'' Myriozotisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Notisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Oparinisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Orstomisis'' Bayer, 1990 *'' Pangolinisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Paracanthoisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Peltastisis'' Nutting, 1910 *'' Plexipomisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Primnoisis'' Studer & Wright, 1887 *'' Pteronisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Sclerisis'' Studer, 1879 *'' Sphaerokodisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Stenisis'' Bayer & Stefani, 1987 *'' Tenuisis'' Bayer & Stefani, 1987 *'' Tethrisis'' Alderslade, 1998 *'' Zignisis'' Alderslade, 1998

References

External links

* *
Bamboo coral research
Research at UC Davis Bodega laboratory {{Taxonbar, from=Q3276436