Coral reefs

Coral Cor"al, n. [Of. coral, F, corail, L. corallum, coralium, fr. Gr. kora`llion.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) The hard parts or skeleton of various Anthozoa, and of a few Hydrozoa. Similar structures are also formed by some Bryozoa. [1913 Webster]

Note: The large stony corals forming coral reefs belong to various genera of {Madreporaria}, and to the hydroid genus, {Millepora}. The red coral, used in jewelry, is the stony axis of the stem of a gorgonian ({Corallium rubrum}) found chiefly in the Mediterranean. The {fan corals}, {plume corals}, and {sea feathers} are species of {Gorgoniacea}, in which the axis is horny. Organ-pipe coral is formed by the genus {Tubipora}, an Alcyonarian, and {black coral} is in part the axis of species of the genus {Antipathes}. See {Anthozoa}, {Madrepora}. [1913 Webster]

2. The ovaries of a cooked lobster; -- so called from their color. [1913 Webster]

3. A piece of coral, usually fitted with small bells and other appurtenances, used by children as a plaything. [1913 Webster]

{Brain coral}, or {Brain stone coral}. See under {Brain}.

{Chain coral}. See under {Chain}.

{Coral animal} (Zo["o]l.), one of the polyps by which corals are formed. They are often very erroneously called {coral insects}.

{Coral fish}. See in the Vocabulary.

{Coral reefs} (Phys. Geog.), reefs, often of great extent, made up chiefly of fragments of corals, coral sands, and the solid limestone resulting from their consolidation. They are classed as {fringing reefs}, when they border the land; {barrier reefs}, when separated from the shore by a broad belt of water; {atolls}, when they constitute separate islands, usually inclosing a lagoon. See {Atoll}.

{Coral root} (Bot.), a genus ({Corallorhiza}) of orchideous plants, of a yellowish or brownish red color, parasitic on roots of other plants, and having curious jointed or knotted roots not unlike some kinds of coral. See Illust. under {Coralloid}.

{Coral snake}. (Zo) (a) A small, venomous, Brazilian snake {(Elaps corallinus)}, coral-red, with black bands. (b) A small, harmless, South American snake ({Tortrix scytale}).

{Coral tree} (Bot.), a tropical, leguminous plant, of several species, with showy, scarlet blossoms and coral-red seeds. The best known is {Erythrina Corallodendron}.

{Coral wood}, a hard, red cabinet wood. --McElrath. [1913 Webster]