Page 295 - French Polynesia

The Fire Coral Patch: Beware and Do Not Touch

Fire corals are colonial marine organisms that look rather like real coral. Technically they are not
corals, since they are more closely related to jellyfish and other stinging anemones. Fire corals
have a bright yellow-green and brown skeletal covering and are widely distributed in tropical
and subtropical waters. Many of the sea critters living in this large homogeneous patch of fire
coral have adapted colors similar to the fore coral itself.

F ire corals are colonial marine organisms that The very small nematocysts on fire corals contain canals. All that is visible on the smooth surface
look rather like real coral. Technically they tentacles that protrude from numerous surface are pores of two sizes: gastropores and dacty-

are not corals, since they are more closely related pores similar to jellyfish stings. In addition, fire lopores. In fact, Dactylopores have long fine

to jellyfish and other stinging anemones. They corals have a sharp, calcified external skeleton hairs that protrude from the skeleton. The hairs

are members of the phylum Cnidaria. Fire corals that can scrape the skin. possess clusters of stinging cells and capture

have a bright yellow-green and brown skeletal Fire corals are found on reefs in the Indian, Pa- prey, which is then engulfed by gastrozooids, or
covering and are widely distributed in tropical cific and Atlantic Oceans and the Caribbean feeding polyps, situated within the gastropores.
and subtropical waters. Many of the sea critters Sea. They form extensive outcrops on project-
living in this large homogeneous patch of fire ing parts of the reef where the tidal currents are As well as capturing prey, fire corals gain
coral have adapted colors similar to the fore nutrients via their special symbiotic rela-

coral itself. strong. They are also abundant on upper reef tionship with algae known as zooxanthellae. The

Fire coral appears in small brush-like growths slopes and in lagoons and can be widespread in zooxanthellae live inside the tissues of the coral,
on rocks and coral. Divers often mistake fire the Shallow Shore zone. and provide the coral with food, which they
coral for seaweed, and accidental contact is produce through photosynthesis, and therefore
common. Upon contact, an intense pain can be The polyps of fire corals are near micro- require sunlight. In return, the coral provides the
scopic size and are mostly embedded in the algae with protection and access to sunlight.

felt that can last from two days to two weeks. skeleton and connected by a network of minute