Coral classification and anatomy: soft and hard corals, hermatypic and ahermatypic corals, genus keys and building the limestone skeleton

What this note covers

1. Where corals sit in the tree of life
2. Hermatypic versus ahermatypic corals
3. Using an identification key to genus
4. Anatomy of a reef-building polyp
5. Building the limestone skeleton
6. Growth forms and what they tell you

6 sections · 11 key terms & formulas · 6 common mistakes