Basic Red Coral Information

Types of Precious Coral

Name	Scientific Name	Location
Aka Coral、Aka Red Coral	Corallium Japonicum	Taiwan, Japan
Momo Coral、Formosa Coral、Pink Coral	Corallium Elatius	Taiwan, Japan
Miss Coral、Misu Coral	Corallium Secundum	Near Midway Atoll
Nanzhi coral	Corallium Secundum	Near Midway Atoll
Deep Sea Coral	Corallium Sp.	Near Midway Atoll
Shallow Sea Coral	Corallium Secundum	Near Midway Atoll
Sardinia Coral、Red Coral	Corallium Reburn	Southern Europe, North Africa
White Coral	Corallium Konojoi	The Pacific

Coral Reef vs Precious Coral

	Coral Reef	Precious Coral
Organism	Cnidaria	Cnidaria
Symbiosis	With Algae	Without Algae
Photosynthesis	Yes	No
Reef-building	Yes	No
Location	Between the latitudes of 25 degrees north and south, water temperature about 20 to 28°Celsius, except cold water coral reef.	Only in Taiwan, Japan, near Midway Atoll and some parts of the Mediterranean
Appearance	Various	Branches
Effects of Death	Bleaching	Cavity, Fossilization
Color	Various colors, caused by the algae living on the coral. Coral skeltons are mostly white and red. Blue coral can be found in the Red Sea.	The surface can be dark orange, orange/yellow or yellow in color. The skeletons can be white, pink, peach or dark red.
Water Depth	Grows at depths of 1-20 meters, with a few at 30 to 50 meters and very rarely below 100 meters.	Only grows at depths from 110 to 1800 meters.
Usage and Benefits	Often thought of as the “rainforests of the sea”, coral reefs are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. They provide important benefits to mankind, such as fish breeding areas. Used as a building material in coastal areas in ancient times. Used to provide natural reinforcement that stops shoreline erosion. Aesthetic appeal and tourist attraction.	In ancient times, red coral was a symbol of wealth, favor and high social status. Precious in the west and as Jade to the Chinese. Used as a precious pigment in Chinese paintings Used in Chinese medicine, and thought to have similar properties as pearl powder. Used as a coloring agent for silk in ancient China A special ceramic glaze Red coral is one of the 7 treasures of Buddhism Used in jewelry and artifacts.
CITES Protection	Listed as protected species on CITES. Cannot be exported/traded. Protected in most countries, must not damage, collect or sell.	Not listed on CITES, free trade is permitted. Can be exported. Red coral fishing is done in USA, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Vietnam, Japan and Taiwan. Precious coral fishing is regulated in Taiwan. Not allowed within 12 nautical miles, only in the exclusive economic zone.
Coral Farming	Coral farming is allowed on some species.