Coraux constructeurs de récifs des Caraïbes

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.