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Published on 20 November 2019
Corals belong to the phylum Cnidaria, like jellyfish. These colonial organisms have the ability to secrete a calcareous exoskeleton - the building material of coral reefs, some of the world’s most species-rich ecosystems: even though they are found in 0.2 % only of the area covered by oceans, they enclose more than 30 % of the known marine biodiversity. Their current regression (destruction, bleaching) everywhere on the planet is a major threat for biodiversity. An estimated 85 % of the coral reefs of the Caribbean have already disappeared, and this trend continues despite ongoing conservation efforts.
This reference book on the reef-building stony corals of the Caribbean gives a general overview of the group - anatomy, classification, biology and systematics – and doubles as an identification manual, describing 68 species in detailed monographs illustrated with photographs taken in the natural habitat.
This guide is intended for naturalists, marine biology enthusiasts, scuba-divers and snorkellers who will be eager to participate in the conservation of the littoral zone of the Caribbean islands.
SCAPS P. 2019. — Coraux constructeurs de récifs des Caraïbes. Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris ; Biotope, Mèze, 240 p. (Inventaires & biodiversité ; 14).
177 colour photos;
165 x 240 mm;
Paperback with flaps.