The Impact of Fire Coral (Milleporina) in the Caribbean Ecosystem (draft#1)

This discussion topic submitted by Elizabeth Gocek ( egocek@aol.com) at 7:30 pm on 4/18/00. Additions were last made on Thursday, May 10, 2001.

While trying to research the weather impacts on the Bahamian islands, I stumbled up the facinating worl of fire coral. I am now going to be researching this organism for my discussion topic. The most amazing fact of the fire coral is that they are not a true stony coral as their name may imply! They are pretty fascinating creatures!
Iny my presentation I plan on discussing the following topics associated with this group of hydrozoans:

I. Introduction to Milleporina
II. Evolutionary history of hydrozoans
III. Distribution of fire coral on a global scale
IV. Description of the three species Caribbean fire coral
A. alcicornis
B. complanata
C. squarrossa
V. Ecological benefits from fire coral
VI. Threat to the survival of fire coral
VII. Conclusion

VIII. Resources:
1. www.aquarium.net/1096/1096_2.shtml
2. http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/bib/abstacts/author-l/lewisl.html
3. www.ambergriscaye.com/fieldgude/animals.html
4. www.divescotty.com/marinelife/biology.htm
5. www.exotictopicals.com/encyclo/reef/sm_stony/encrust_fire.htm
6. http://biology.unm.edu/~bio404/Cnidaria.html
7. www.ogp.noaa.gov/misc/coral/coralit.html
8. http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/wfla/HTML/framework
9. Amos,William, Wildlife of the Islands, Harry Abrams,Inc., New York,1980
10. Wells, Sue, Hanna, Nick. The Greenpeace Book of Coral Reefs.Sterling Publishing Co., 1992
11. Roessler, Carl. The Underwater Wilderness: Life Around the Great Reefs. Chanticleer Press.

This is still a vague outline of ideas from the research I have done so far. I have found most of my information via the web. If you know of any current book sources I would be interested in taking a look at them. The few books I have found are dated and I am sure I can find much more current information. Also, I have found a vague mention of fire coral being used for medicinal purposes. If anyone knows of where I can locate some more information on this part of the topic let me know:)

Thanks!
Elizabeth Gocek



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It is 12:55:27 PM on Friday, May 16, 2008. Last Update: Thursday, May 10, 2001