Identification of Tubipora coral
Common names:
Organ-pipe coral, pipe-organ coral (1).
Trade:
Live Tubipora specimens are traded for the aquarium trade (2). Cleaned skeletons are traded as curios, jewellery and aquarium products (1). There is one species in this order, Tubipora musica (3), which must be identified to species level on CITES permits (4).
Distribution:
Found in the Indian Ocean, and central and western Pacific Ocean (5).
Colony shape:
Colonies rounded (3).
Organ-pipe coral with polyps retracted. |
Antipatharia artefacts:
Top view of cleaned organ-pipe coral skeleton. |
Cleaned skeletons sold as curios (6).
Jewellery (6,7).
Ornaments (6,7).
Aquarium decoration (1).
May be used for medicinal purposes (8).
Authentication
Information authenticated by C. R. C. Sheppard
References
1) Borneman, E. H. (2001) Aquarium corals;
Selection, husbandry and natural history. TFH Publications, Neptune City
NJ, USA ISBN L-890087-47-5
2) Bruckner, A. (1998) Guide to Indo-Pacific Corals in
International Trade. Available online (April 2002)
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/PR/coralidmanualfront.html
3) Wood, E. M. (1983) Reef corals of the world: biology
and field guide. T.F.H. Publications, New Jersey USA. ISBN: 0-876668-09-0
4) CITES Notification to the Parties No. 2002/072. Trade in
stony corals. (February 2003)
http://www.cites.org/eng/notifs/2002/072.shtml
5) UNEP-WCMC Animals of the world database - Tubipora musica
(April 2002)
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/species/dbases/fauna/index.htm
6) Corrochano, V. R. (1996) Guía de identificatión de conchas
y corales includios en el convenio de Washington. Ministerio de Comercio y
Turismo. Spain ISBN: 84-7415-289-0
7) Oliver, J.K., (1986) Stony corals: Classes Hydrozoa and
Anthozoa, In: CITES Identification manual, Gland, Switzerland.
8) Sheppard, C.R.C (2002) Corals of the Indian Ocean. Sida,
CD-ROM