More like this
This is the second in a series of five referenced articles about shared characteristics between deep and shallow water corals
This just out from NOAA:
Coral is a polyphyletic term for polypoid animals in the cnidarian classes Anthozoa and Hydrozoa that secrete either 1) a black, horn like proteinaceous axis or 2) carbonate skeletal material in the form of either a) continuous skeleton or b) an assemblage of microscopic, individual sclerites (Ca
But what if it's an antique?
What depressed me was tourist towns along the Java coast, where shop after shop had mounted sea turtle hanging on the wall for a small price. Nevermind that nobody could legally export it.
I do jewelery work ( hey, a marine biologist and jeweler in training!) and I don't think I've ever used coral in my work.
Not for conservation reasons, so much as it never appealed. So much of the gem/stone trade is highly unethical, but I think most of my materials are safe, but no coral in my supplies. No bone, a very small amount of shell.
I admittedly don't know much about coral harvesting, so once I have some time this evening, you've given me food for an evening of reading up.