No other Genus has the sheer number of species as Acropora and when reef aquarists talk about the requirements to keep an SPS system, they are talking specifically about the care requirements of Acropora. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice. In large numbers, crown-of-thorns starfish can mow down wide swaths of coral reef. Scientists recommend future research focus on the staghorn’s life cycle, habitat, and ability to withstand all of the numerous threats it faces. Colors range from dark gray and brown to more vibrant pinks, purples, and blues. Like its name suggests, staghorn coral is a species of coral that looks a bit like the antlers of a male deer. "Excess nutrients from land sources and thermal stress will likely occur in concert in the future so it's important to assess them together," said Towle. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/s/staghorn-coral.html, Israel and Jordan to the eastern coast of Africa and all the way out to islands in the Pacific, such as Vanuatu and Kiribati, particularly low resistance and tolerance, warming surface temperatures and disease outbreaks, include invasive species, development, pollution, agricultural runoff, dynamite fishing, and tourism. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. "A balanced diet is good for corals too, study finds: Researchers examine nutrient enrichment, bleaching resilience in Red Sea corals." The good news is that at least one study has found that this species can be successfully transplanted to new areas. ScienceDaily shares links with sites in the. Acropora muricata was formerly known as Acropora formosa. However, the last few decades have seen a substantial reduction in the coral population because of disease outbreaks and increasing ocean temperatures. To make matters worse, coral diseases are also on the rise in the Indo-Pacific. Learn all about coral and why warming waters threaten the future of the reef ecosystem. Diet: … The main threat to the staghorn coral is the increase in temperatures at sea as result of global climate change. "We found that the coral's resilience to thermal stress totally depends on the kind of inorganic enrichment -- if it's 'balanced' or not," said Erica Towle, an alumna of the UM Rosenstiel School. Coral bleaching is the loss of the algae that live in coral tissue. If your diet is low in calcium, you may want to increase your Coral dose accordingly. Staghorn corals can grow up to two inches a year, making it relatively fast-growing. Staghorn corals grow fast to shade out other corals and gain more space on the reef. The UM Rosenstiel School research team published a previous study in 2015 that showed the critically endangered Staghorn coral may benefit from supplemental nutrition to mitigate the adverse impacts of global climate change. Description: Branches grow 6.5 feet or more, in the a shape resembling elk antlers. Adult (white arrow) with feeding scars (black arrows) The Acropora-eating flatworm (AEF or AEFW) is a common predator of aquarium Acropora species.They consume coral tissue and are extremely well-camouflaged. Coral can be found in tropical ocean waters around the world. Furthermore, better regulation and oversight of the aquarium trade could help prevent too many staghorns being removed from the wild. The Coral Reefs stamps will be available nationwide March 29 in Post Offices and online at the Postal Store. As the colony grows the staghorn branches create a three-dimensional lattice where baby fish can easily hide and avoid larger predators. Red List (Beckman, 2013). Description: The Blue Tip Evergreen Staghorn, Acropora loisette, is a fast growing acropora. The northern limit for Staghorn coral is around Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, and for Elkhorn coral, Biscayne Bay in Broward County. Most soft corals, zoanthids, and gorgonians depend almost exclusively on phytoplankton, (small water-borne plants or algae) for their nutritional needs as well as floating plankton, detritus, and slow-moving invertebrate larvae, rather than zooplankton (which can actively propel itself). Staghorn coral get food from photosynthetic algae that live inside the coral's cells. 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