APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

A-P-H-O-T-O Wildlife Stock Image Library
Millepora sp. - A Fire Coral (Hydrozoa)
Scroll down and rollover titles to change screen image or click on title to view image.
Fire Coral
Millepora species
- close-up 1

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- close-up 2

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- close-up 3

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- encrusting plastic bait cleat 1

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- encrusting plastic bait cleat 2

Specimen above found encrusting part of a black plastic bait cleat / door cleat of an American lobster trap. Cleat found as flotsam washed-up at Tob Tieb, Marazion, Cornwall. 08.02.16. Polyps of the Thimble jellyfish, Linuche unguiculata, were also found on the bait cleat.

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- encrusting buoy 1

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- encrusting buoy 2

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- encrusting buoy 3

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- encrusting buoy 4

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- encrusting buoy 5

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- close-up 4

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- close-up 5

Fire Coral
Millepora species
- close-up 6

I'm very grateful to Alan Alder, the finder of the buoy for allowing me to photograph it. Not only did the buoy have Millepora sp., Fire Coral, encrusting it, but also the small green algae Anadyomene stellata, Common sea kale, was found growing on the Millepora.

Millepora, Fire Coral, is not a true coral but an unusual hydroid. It is a non-native species which would have originated from either the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic coast of Florida.

The buoy was found washed-up at Watergate Bay, near Newquay, Cornwall. 17.01.16.

The specimens here would appear to be the first two reported records of Millepora in the UK. Millepora (genus) has been added to the United Kingdom Species Inventory for the purpose of recording. It is unknown what the species of Millepora is, but Millepora complanata has been suggested. The species will be added to the UKSI if confirmed.

Millepora species Fire coral hydroid Hydrozoa Images
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.