Coralliidae
Family of corals / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Coralliidae, also known as precious corals, is a taxonomic family of soft corals belonging to the suborder Scleraxonia of the phylum Cnidaria.[1] These sessile corals are one of the most dominant members of hard-bottomed benthic environments such as seamounts, canyons and continental shelves.[2] From this coral family results 69 descendants[3] in which each species plays a key role in forming habitats for a variety of marine species.
Coralliidae | |
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Corallium rubrum | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Cnidaria |
Class: | Octocorallia |
Order: | Alcyonacea |
Suborder: | Scleraxonia |
Family: | Coralliidae Lamouroux, 1812 |
Genera | |
see text |
Due to their unique trait of possessing a red calcium carbonate skeleton, these corals can be harvested in order to create handcrafted amulets, jewelry and other valuable artifacts, giving rise to its reputed name of "precious corals".[4] Correspondingly, members of this family are vulnerable to the negative impacts of overharvestation imposed by mass coral trade.[5]