Ahermatypic corals – the opposite to hermatypic corals. Corals not producing big, hardy skeletons able to produce a reef. Usually ahermatypic corals don’t live in symbiosis with zooxantellae, often they are deep-water corals.
More information on the page: Classification

Algae – the simplest, autotrophic plants. Probably all organisms originated from them. They are all widely in size, form differentiation and habitat, to this group belong for example unicellular plants and large, complex, multicellular plants. Algae inhabit almost every place, where there is water and sunlight: they can inhabit seas, lakes, rivers, pools, glaciers, wet rocks.
More information on the page: Zooxantellae

Anion – a negative ion, atom or a group of atoms, which as a result of join of one or a group of electrons, have negative charge, for example: anion of Br^- or anion of CO₃^2-.
More information on the page: Building of skeleton

Aragonite - CaCO₃, a mineral, form of calcium carbonate; needle crystals, colorless and transparent, sometimes whitish or yellowish. Frequent component of calcareous skeleton of many present and fossil animals. In conditions prevailing on the Earth surface aragonit is undurable and changes into calcite. See also: calcite.
More information on the page: Building of skeleton

B

Basal disk – also: sole. Disk closing below a polyp cylinder, fixing coral body to the subsrate.
More information on the page: Anatomy

Blastomeres – descendant cells, originated from fertilized egg in the process called stration.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Blastula – the early stage of an embryo originated in process of striation. Blastula has several dozens of cells. Cnidaria’s blastula is a bubble with only one cell layer.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Budding – the method of asexual (vegetative) reproduction. A part of parent body bring into relief, from the relief a new organism grows.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction

C

Calcite – a mineral consisting on hexagonal crystals of calcium carbonate CaCO₃. It can be colorless and transparent, sometimes tinged, mainly with yellow. It builds skeletons of many organisms. It can also origin from aragonite, undurable in conditions prevailing on the Earth surface.
More information on the page: Building of skeleton

Calcium carbonate – salt, CaCO₃, see also: aragonite and calcite.
More information on the page: Building of skeleton

Calice – by hermatypic corals distal part of skeleton, inhabited by coral polyp.
More information on the page: Dependienciec between the coral body and skeleton

Calicoblastic ectoderm – part of ectoderm producing skeleton. It is situated on basal disk and on polyp walls.
More information on the page: Building of skeleton

Cation – a positive ion, atom or a group of atoms, which as a result of disconnection of one or a group of electrons, have positive charge, for example: cation of H⁺ or cation of Ca²⁺.
More information on the page: Building of skeleton

Cell – a basic element of structure of a living organisms, which in the simpliest case can consist of one cell. Sizes of cells are very different, most of them are not bigger than 0,03 mm size, the longest are nerve cells – their outgrowth can have even a few meters length. The biggest cell is vitellus ball [not sure about the name] of ostrich egg, it can have even 10 centimeter in diameter.
More information on the page: Anatomy

Cilia – short, filamentous structures, existing on the surface of many cells. As result of containing contractile protein they can curve (or be curved) and then return to the previous position. Cilia move to shift a substance along surface of cells or to move whole organism (if it’s a unicellular organism).
More information on the page: Anatomy

Cnidaria – type of multicellular animals belonging to invertebrates. They are the simplest Eumetazoa, their characteristic trait is having nematocysts. They have two cell layers: ectoderm and gastroderm (sometimes called: endoderm) one cavity called coelenteron. Now name Cnidaria is a type, but it was a subtype before. Animals from present types Cnidaria and Ctenophora were joined in a type Coelenterates. The name of the type was made from coelenteron – only animals from this two types (Cnidaria,Ctenophora) has general body cavity – coelenteron. Now name Coelenterates is not being used, because of too many differences between animals from types Cnidaria and Ctenophora.
More information on the page: Classification

Coelenteraes – see Cnidaria.
More information on the page: Classification

Coelenteron – general body cavity existing by Cnidaria and Ctenophora. It plays a role of digestive and circulatory system.
More information on the page: Classification

Coenosarc – common body of a coral colony. It originates when a new polyp grows beyond the wreath of tentacles (in process called budding) and the distance between polyps grows. On coenosarc new polyps can grow.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction

Coenosteum – common skeleton of a coral colony. It’s being produced by canosark. On coenosteum new coral calices can grow.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction

Colony – a number of individuals, animals as well as plants, of the same specie, living in one place, fixed to the substrate. Colony origins when organisms which grew in a vegetative reproduction don’t separate. Examples of colonial organisms: most of corals, some hydrozoa, sponges, algae.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction and Classification

Corallite - skeleton of one polyp.
More information on the page: Building of skeleton

Cytosymbiosis – type of symbiosis. One symbiont live in other symbiont’s cell. Example of symbiosis is coexistence of reef corals and zooxantellas. Most of reef (hermatypic) corals live in symbiosis with zooxantellas, which inhabit ectoderm cells of coral.
More information on the page:  Leptoseris fragilis

D

Diffusion – spontaneously mixing of molecules of a substance from one reservoir having bigger concentration the other having smaller concentration.
More information on the page: Coral physiology

Dioecious – existence of two structurally different forms – male and female in one specie.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Dychotomic growth – the manner of growing of colony. All individuals in colony grow simultaneously. Neighbor polyps are of the same age.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction

E

Ectoderm – external, one cell layer of coelenterates. In this cell layer nematocysts exist.
More information on the page: Anatomy

Embryo – 1. In zoology: term describing animal in period between fertilization and getting out from egg or mother organism. By mammals multicellular embryo in late stage, resembling an adult is called fetus (by human – since third month). 2. In botany: by vascular plants, young plant, originated in process of fertilization, having primordial root, steam and leafs.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Epithelium – one or a few layers tissue that covers surfaces, lines the tubes and cavities of the body. Epithelium forms most of glands.
More information on the page: Anatomy

Eumetazoa – term which states all animals having tissues. It includes all multicellular organism except sponges.
More information on the page: Anatomy

F

Fertilization – union of male gamete (spermatozoa) and female gamete (egg). It leads to origin of a zygote.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Fluorescence - spontaneously emission of light. Usually it treads on the heel of absorption of radiation. Usually emitted waves are longer than absorbed. Coral Leptoseris fragilis absorbs having length from 5 * 10^-7 m (500nm) do 3,8 * 10^-7 m (380nm), with dominating waves of from 3,8 * 10^-7 m (380nm) to 4,2 * 10^-7 m (420nm)length. It emits waves of 4 * 10^-7 m (400nm) do 7,2 * 10^-7 m (720nm) length.
More information on the page:  Leptoseris fragilis

G

Gamete - reproduce cell of an animal or a plant, egg or spermatozoa.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Gastroderm – internal, one cell layer of coelenterates. In gastroderm of most hermatypic corals zooxantellas inhabit.
More information on the page: Anatomy

Gastrula - the stage of an embryo by all Eumetazoa originated in a process called gastrulation. By many animals, for example vertebrates gastrula has three cell layer. By Cnidaria gastrula has only two cell layers and is the latest embryonic stage, the next stage is young, but fully developed Cnidaria animal.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Gastrulation – process of transformation one cell layer blastula into two or three cell layer gastrula. By Cnidaria this process lie on moving a part of cells from the surface into the interior of an embryo.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Gonad - animal reproductive gland producing gametes. Female gonad is called ovary, and male - testicle.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

H

Hermatypic corals – reef corals, the opposite to ahermatypic corals. Corals producing big, hardy skeletons able to produce a reef. Usually hermatypic corals live in symbiosis with zooxantellae, often they are shallow-water corals.
More information on the page: Classification

I

Ion - atom or a group of atoms not neutral electrically - having negative or positive charge. The charge depends on amount of electrons (having negative charge). If in atom there are more electrons than protons (having positive charge) the atom has negative charge. However if there are less electrons that protons in the atom it has positive charge.
More information on the page: Building of skeleton

J

Jellyfish – one of two possible Cnidaria’s body shape. This form occurs by Scyphozoa and Hydrozoa as the sexually reproducing form. It is a free-swimming, contractile umbrella. Jellyfishes are part of zooplankton.
More information on the page: Anatomy

K

L

Leptoseris fragilis – untypical reef coral, inhabiting depth from 100m to 150m below the sea surface. It lives in symbiosis with zooxantella and has pigmentary cells which can conduct fluoresce.
More information on the page:  Leptoseris fragilis

Longitudinal division – kind of vegetative (asexual) reproduction by corals. First coral begin to broaden. Then it starts to divide: coelenteron, mesenterias, mouth and built new tentacles.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction

M

Mesenteriae – a barrier dividing coelenteron by corals. Mezenterias are fixed to the oral disk and stream down as curtains. In mesenteriae gonads origin.
More information on the page: Anatomy

Mesoglea – also: mesogloea, jelly, non-cellular substance lying between corals’ ectoderm and gastroderm. By other Cnidaria instead of mesoglea there is a
More information on the page: Anatomy

Metabolism – the sum total of the chemical processes of living organisms which result in growth the production of energy and the maintenance of the vital function and in which the waste products of these processes are rendered harmless.
More information on the page: Coral physiology

Meter – a unit of measure, abbreviation: m. One meter = 3.280839895013 feet.

Monopodial growth – the manner of colony growth. The oldest polyp is placed on the top of the colony, accumulate continually exoskeleton creating trunk-like structure.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction

Mucus – any slimy secretion of animal origin.
More information on the page: Anatomy

N

Nanometr – a unit of measure, abbreviation: nm. Nano-, in abbreviation n meaning 1:10^-9 of given size. One nanometr would be 1:10^-9 m.

Nematocyst – a capsule with filiform missile situated in ectoderm cells by Cnidaria. It serve to defend, catching prey and fighting with other corals.
More information on the page: Anatomy

O

Oral disk – disk closing above the polip body. In the middle of oral disk there is mouth surrounded by tentacles.
More information on the page: Anatomy

P

Pharynx – that part of the digest system. By corals it leads from mouth to coelenteron. It’s upholstered by ectoderm. BY vertebrates it’s a canal that lies between oral cavity and esophagus.
More information on the page: Anatomy

Planula – a free-swimming, ciliated Cnidaria’s larva being in a stage of gastrula. Notice, that the term planula and gastrula doesn’t mean the same.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Polyp - one of two possible body shapes by Hydrozoa and Scyphozoa, the only possible shape by Anthozoa (corals). Polyp looks like a sac (by Hudrozoa) or as a cylinder (by corals). It is closed above by an oral disk and below by a basal disk (called also: sole), fixing polyp to the substrate. It has single mouth surrounded by tentacles.
More information on the page: Anatomy

Q

R

Reef (inorganic) – underwater ridge or rock situated near to the water surface or even over the surface, derivation organic as well as inorganic, being a danger to ships. The term reef was introduced by mariners.
More information on the page: Reef history.

Reef (organic) - underwater ridge or rock situated near to the water surface or even over the surface, organic derivation, originated from accumulation of reef-builders’ skeletons. Construction called reefs has been being built [good tense???] since the beginning of the Paleozoic era.
More information on the page: Reef history.

Reef-builders – animal and plant organisms producing calcareous skeletons. The main role in the process of reef building since Paleosoic have played colony organisms.
More information on the page: Reef history.

Reproductive cell – see: gamete.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

S

Scleractinians – order of corals, to which main reef builders belong. Skleractinians was called also: madreporian corals, stone corals.
More information on the page: Classification and Reef history.

Shelf, continental – shallow, coastal part of bottom of the sea. It extends to about 200 meters depth.
More information on the page: Reef types

Skeleton – system of hard elements, being part of animal, rarely plant organism, produced from organic or inorganic substances. Skeleton supports or protects organs of animals or plants. It can also be a place where muscles are fixed. Skeleton can be a scaffolding for the body (internal skeleton = endoskeleton) or can surround it (external skeleton = exoskeleton). For vertebrates typical is endoskeleton. Invertebrates usually have exoskeleton , for example: many corals, mollusks, crustaceans. Some invertebrates have endoskeleton for example: sponges, some corals. Also unicellular radiolarias and foraminiferane produces mineral skeletons (external and internal).
More information on the page: Building of skeleton

Stolon – horizontally growing cell layer by corals. It fixes whole colony to the substrate. On stolons new polyps can grow.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction

Striation – process of several division of fertilized egg into descendent cells called blastomers. It leads to originate a blastula. By taxonomically different animals stration takes place in a different way. When blastomers are the same size stration is called steady, when they are different in size it’s called - unsteady. Stration can be also complete [Chow – please check in encyclopedia if word steady and complete are good for describe striation] (when all cell divides) or partial (when only part of cell divides). By, for example Cnidaria and Mammalia striation is complete and steady.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction

Symbionts – organisms living in symbiosis with each other.
More information on the page:  Leptoseris fragilis

Symbiosis – the association of two organisms different taxonomically, from wich each organisms benefits. For example symbiosis would be association of: corals and algae, fungi and trees, bacteria and plants from Papilionacae family.
More information on the page:  Leptoseris fragilis

Sympodial growth – the manner of colony growth. On the border of an adult polyp new polyp grows, creating lateral offshoot. The difference between sympodial and monopodial growth is, that in sympodial growth there is no “trunk” being produced, the youngest polyps are on the top of the colony.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction

T

Tentacles – filiform or digitate mobile appendix existing by many animals near mouth. Usually they play functions of sensorial organ. By corals tentacles mainly get nourishment. Some corals have also tentacles playing other role. They are much bigger, adapted to fight with other corals.
More information on the page: Anatomy

Transvers division – a kind of vegetative (asexual) reproduction by individual corals. In this process polyp divide tranversally of coral into two parts. On part contains basal disk and the other – oral disk. Both part have to complete missing part of the body.
More information on the page: Vegetative reproduction

U

V

W

Waves of light – Sun emits very different in length waves, from 10^–14 meters to 10⁷ meters, which is very close to direct current. Human is able to see waves in length from 0.4µ (violet) do ok. 0.76µ (red), which in meters would be: from 4 * 10^-7 to 7,6 * 10^-7. In physics the term waves of light (light) includes range of radiation bigger than range of waves visible for human: from 10^-10 m do 10^-4 m. Waves having length from 10^-10 m to10^-7 m, are called ultraviolet radiation, radiation that causes sunburn, waves from 10^-6 m to 10^-4 m are called infrared radiation that you can feel as warmth.
More information on the page:  Leptoseris fragilis

Z

Zooxantellae – algae living in symbiosis with most of hermatypic corals. They inhabit coral gastroderm.
More information on the page: Coral physiology and Leptoseris fragilis

Zygote – cell originated in process of unit of gametes during sexual (generative) reproduction.
More information on the page: Generative reproduction