precious coral

invertebrate

Also known as: Corallium, precious red coral, red coral, rose coral(Show More)

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July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

Precious coral is a type of marine invertebrate from the class Anthozoa, known for its hard, stonelike skeleton. These animals, called polyps, have a mouth surrounded by tentacles used to capture food. Corals reproduce both sexually and asexually through budding, forming colonies where old polyps die but their skeletons remain, contributing to the formation of reefs.1

Precious coral, specifically Corallium rubrum, is found in the Mediterranean Sea and is used in jewelry. While corals are vital for biodiversity, they face threats like rising seawater temperatures, pollution, and overfishing, which can lead to bleaching events where the colorful algae living within the coral are expelled, leaving the white skeleton exposed.234

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cnidarian
Annotated classification
Worldwide; includes precious red coral, Corallium. Order Trachylina Medusa dominant; reduced or no polyp stage. Statocysts and special sensory structures (tentaculocysts). Differ from other hydromedusae by having tentacles inserted above umbrellar margin. Oceanic, mostly warmer waters. Suborder Laingiomedusae Medusae with
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Worldwide; includes precious red coral, Corallium. Order Trachylina Medusa dominant; reduced or no polyp stage. Statocysts and special sensory structures (tentaculocysts). Differ from other hydromedusae by having tentacles inserted above umbrellar margin. Oceanic, mostly warmer waters. Suborder Laingiomedusae Medusae with
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coral
They include the so-called precious coral (also called red, or rose, coral) used in jewelry. A common species of precious coral, Corallium rubrum, is found in the Mediterranean Sea. Blue coral, Heliopora coerula, occurs on reefs of stony coral in the Indian and Pacific oceans. It forms lumps up…
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They include the so-called precious coral (also called red, or rose, coral) used in jewelry. A common species of precious coral, Corallium rubrum, is found in the Mediterranean Sea. Blue coral, Heliopora coerula, occurs on reefs of stony coral in the Indian and Pacific oceans. It forms lumps up…
Read More