(Fwd) Re: [Coral-List] Heliopora Coerulea the Blue Coral found

tawake_a at usp.ac.fj tawake_a at usp.ac.fj
Thu Dec 9 17:22:00 EST 2004


Dr. Zahn,
     Thank you for the interesting info.  I remember reading your
     article.
I have only heard of Heliopora coerulea, is there a second living
species? If so, how do they differ?  Thank you!  I have seen Heliopora
in American Samoa as well as other places such as the Philippines.  
-Doug Fenner ----- Original Message ----- From: <tawake_a at usp.ac.fj>
To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>; "Di Walker (MES)"
<diwalker at connect.com.fj> Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2004 11:09 AM
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Heliopora Coerulea the Blue Coral found in
Fiji


> Dear Coral list
> Very interesting about Heliopora in Fiji. It was my 1985 study which
> was
cited by Di
> Walker. (Zann L.P. and Bolton. (1985) The distribution, abundance
> and
ecology of the
> blue coral Heliopora coerulea in the Pacific. Coral Reefs. p
> 123-134.)
>
> Heliopora or blue coral has not been reported live from Fiji before.
> It is
a strange coral,
> (only 2 species in entire Order!), and unrelated to the
> scleractinians
(other reef-building
> coral). It also has a strange global distribution (the focus of my
> study).
It is very ancient and
> its range has contracted in geological time (100 million years) - I
suggested because of
> competition from the scleractininans, and climate changes (it is a
> warm
water species,
> >25o). It is present in Rotuma, common in Tuvalu and abundant in
> >Kiribati.
Interestingly,
> it did not appear to bleach in 1998, 2000 episodes in Indonesia, so
> it
might be an indicator
> of past climate changes.
>
> Its rarity in some places makes it of biodiversity/conservation
> interest.
Where it is rare those
> places certainly should be protected. (eg there was a major
> controversy in
Okinawa when a
> unique heliopora community was threatened by airport extensions.). I
> would
be interested in
> assisting conc=servation measures.
> Leon Zann
>
>
>
> Professor Leon Zann
> Director
> Marine Studies Programme
> University of the South Pacific
> Laucala Campus. Suva. Fiji.
> Tel: 679 321 2933 , 679 330 5272
> email: zann_l at usp.ac.fj
>

------- End of forwarded message -------
__________________________________________________
 Alifereti Tawake, Scientific Officer, Institute of Applied Science, 
 University of the South Pacific, P.O Box 1168, Suva, FIJI.
 Tel: 679-3212977, 679-3592732, 679-3391339 (H), 9216122(mbl)
 Fax: 679-330 0373, website: http//www.usp.ac.fj/ias
   And	 'Kedra Sasalu Tawamudu na noda Kawa- Fish for the Future'
 Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) Network Project Liaison Officer (Fiji & Asia-Pac)
 LMMA NCT member, visit www.lmmanetwork.org



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