Meandrina Research Paper

Chase Ward

Mrs. Walser

Bio 2

8-31-15

Meandrina Throughout the ocean are many different types of corals, but located along the foot of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico lies the Meandrina. The Meandrina is a coral that can form spherical heads along with flat plates that extend for yards beneath the sea. Within the genus of Meandrina you have the meandrites. Meandrites are sometimes known as the “maze coral” this type of Meandrina is found on the slopes underneath the water in the common areas for this genus of coral. Most of the formations are hemispherical but sometimes cone shaped colonies form divided from the substrate or the rest of the Meandrite. After the hemispherical coral ages it begins to form into a flat plate that can range

Meandrites favore depths between eight to thirty meters (twenty six to ninety eight feet) or anywhere less than eighty meters. This coral is generally found out of the normal because of the depth you can sometimes find it at, but the depth you can find it is normal for it can use the sediment. This species is also affected by coral bleaching but is not of huge concern because it usually recovers from it and is more resistant to it. This coral is also subject to diseases such as white plaque and black band disease, that being another reason for its stronger resistance against coral bleaching. With temperatures being the key cause of deterioration, you also have to take acidification, and reef destruction by us humans. For Meandrites in a whole they are doing well overall, they have managed to stay off the “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species” remaining one of their least concerns. This coral tends to stay imobile spreding its young assexually. When a Meandrite spreads its young it simply shoots out of itself and into the current of the water. Weather or not the young are shot far or close will determine if they are going to be a part of the flat