N O v e m b e r 3 , 2 0 0 9

http-_serc.carleton.edu_images_eslabs_corals_brain_coral

Brain CoralSilt harms brain coral. Silt comes from building sites, farm fields, and roads. This means that the more we keep building houses, and roads near the shore, then that means more sewage, silt, and garbage will go into the water.All the things we need to make our lives better; are making brain corals a whole lot worse. www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?id=780416

CNIDARIANSCoral

n e w s l e t t e r

Coral can move?

No, coral itself cannot move, but that’s not the type of transportation we’re talking about. Actually, it’s the cells inside of the Coral that moves around. Corals have simple

body systems and are a few cells thick. The tissues in their bodies are what helps them with feeding and movement.

How does it get nutrition?

Coral like every other animal has to eat. They eat fish and other small animals. They catch these meals using their stinging cells on their tentacles. Corals though, can also get their nutrition from photosynthetic unicellular algae called zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae can provide up to 90% of corals energy. The coral then gives the zooxanthellae

shelter, protection, nutrients, a constant supply of carbon dioxide, and incident lights. This explains why they need a lot of sunlight.

N O v e m b e r 3 , 2 0 0 9

solcomhouse.com_images_coral01a_462.jpg

General Structure

Coral have simple body systems. A body wall surrounds an internal space called a gastrovascular cavity. On the inside of the gastrovascular cavity is the inner lining called a gastroderm. This is is where digestion takes place.

SAILINGReproduction

Asexual or sexual?truelovecoral.com

Coral is

asexual. Little

pieces breaks

off and the

pieces grows

bigger. Then the same thing

happens. Over and over

again. This process is called

budding. Coral can also be

sexual. This is because they

spawn with the same type of

species, which then release

gametes around a full moon.

Threats•Disease•PollutionDynamite/Cyanide fishingdevilgraphics.jpg

N O v e m b e r 3 , 2 0 0 9

SAILING

AdaptionCoral can adapt to their environment by the process of acclimatization. This allows organisms to adjust to their environments constant change in temperature, availability of food, and seasonal weather changes.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acclimatization

Background of Cnidarians

Cnidarians were grouped with Ctenophores in the phylum Coelenterata. Their differences finally got them

recognized as a different type of phyla. Cnidarians are classified into four

groups. sessile Anthozoa which are sea anemones, coral, and sea pens.

Another is swimming Scyphozoa this group includes jellyfish. Cubozoa is yet another type, this

group has box jelly fish. The last kind is Hydrozoa. Hyrdozoa is a diverse

group that includes all the freshwater Cnidarians as well as marine, such as Portuguese Man o' War.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cnidaria

Responses to Stimuli

Coral gathers information from their environment using sensory cells. Nerve nets are what allow coral to detect stimuli

from a foreign object.

Nerve nets are a loosely organized set of nerve cells. Cnidarians also have

statocysts which are groups of sensory cells that help determine the direction of

gravity. Ocelli are eyespots that help detect light.

N O v e m b e r 3 , 2 0 0 9

Endangered or Extinct?

Coral is endangered. We are eliminating them by cyanide fishing, and all of our pollution. Also, coral population is decreasing because of diseases. Coral is important though. We get our food from the oceans. But the stuff we get feed off of coral. If coral dies out then our food from the ocean will too.

SAILING

RespirationAfter Coral eats the food is

transported through the body by diffusion. Diffusion is the process by which molecules spread from areas of high concentration, to

areas of low concentration. On the food chain, Coral is a secondary consumer.

Regulation Coral helps keep the carbon dioxide levels down.

Also, in the group jelly fish are the odd

ones out because they are the only cnidarians that can move around. All cnidarians have bilateral symmetry.

Maecenas non quam.

Aliquam pede. vulputate eu, estmorbi tristique

senectus vet netus et male nunc quam.