Blue Coral Photos

[Mark Eakin]

                           Subject:                         Time:   7:55 AM
                           Blue Coral Photos                Date:   6/10/98

As many people have indicated, corals frequently take on this blue coloration when bleached or partially bleached.  I have seen this in the Caribbean and Pacific.  Such blue coloration is continuous or semi-continuous across the colony, not the blotch or ring type of blue coloration described by Dr. Cervino.  I have seen that in both Carribean and Pacific corals as well.

We recently observed this in some Porites lobata colonies in Panama.  Photos of a large (ca. 2m) P. lobata that had turned entirely blue can be found at:
     http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/misc/coral/98bleaching/uvam98.html

The story on the bleaching event along with many photos is found at:
     http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/misc/coral/98bleaching

Cheers,
Mark