Blue coral

Blue coral

Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1) ^[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Class:	Anthozoa
Subclass:	Octocorallia
Order:	Helioporacea
Family:	Helioporidae
Genus:	Heliopora
Species:	H. coerulea
Binomial name
*Heliopora coerulea* Pallas, 1766

Blue coral or Heliopora coerulea is a coral. It is the only species in the family Helioporidae and the only Octocoral known to produce a massive skeleton.^[2] This skeleton is formed of aragonite, similar to that of scleractinia. Individual polyps live in tubes within the skeleton and are connected by a thin layer of tissue over the outside of the skeleton. It is a common member of shallow coral reefs and is found extensively throughout the Indo-Pacific including Ryukyu Islands in southwest Japan, Coral Sea in northeast Australia and American Samoa. The largest blue coral colony in the world is thought to be off of Ishigaki Island of the Yaeyama Islands, in southwest Japan.

Due to its unusual blue colour and being fairly tolerant of conditions it can be used in tropical aquariums.

A syrup extracted from the coral is commonly used in "Bubble Tea" drinks found in and around south east Asia.

External links

"Heliopora coerulea". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=52077.

References

^ Obura, D., Fenner, D., Hoeksema, B., Devantier, L. & Sheppard, C. (2008). "Heliopora coerulea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/133193. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
^ Barnes, Robert D. (1982). Invertebrate Zoology. Philadelphia, PA: Holt-Saunders International. p. 169. ISBN 0-03-056747-5.

Corals and coral reefs

Stony corals	Scleractinia Blue coral Brain coral Elkhorn coral Hermatypic coral Pillar coral Staghorn coral Table coral

Soft corals	Alcyonacea Black coral Bamboo coral Organ pipe coral Sea fans Sea pens

Coral reefs	Atoll reef Cay Fringing reef Microatoll Coral reef fish Census of Coral Reefs The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs

Coral regions	Deep water coral Andros, Bahamas Belize Barrier Reef Coral Sea Islands Coral Triangle Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Great Barrier Reef Maldives Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System New Caledonia Barrier Reef Pulley Ridge Raja Ampat Islands Red Sea Southeast Asian coral reefs

Coral diseases	Coral bleaching Black band disease Skeletal eroding band White band disease White pox disease

Protection	Coral reef protection Project AWARE Reef Check Reef Ball Coral Reef Alliance International Society for Reef Studies

Other	Artificial reef Coral aquaculture Coral dermatitis Coral (precious) Coral rag Coral sand Coralline algae Human impact Fire coral Reef resilience Rugosa (extinct) Tabulate (extinct) Zooxanthella