Jewels of the Deep Sea - Precious Corals Masanori Nonaka1 & Katherine Muzik2 1 Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, 424 Ishikawa Motobu-Cho, Okinawa 900-0206, Japan Contact e-mail:
[email protected] 2 Japan Underwater Films, 617 Yamazato, Motobu-cho, Okinawa 905-0219, Japan Introduction Precious Corals belong to the Family Coralliidae (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) and are well-known for their red or pink skeletons that have been used since antiquity for ornament, medicine, talismans and currency. In Okinawa, they are found living at depths from 200 to about 300m, but in northern Japan they are found in shallower waters, generally about 150m deep. We have been keeping and displaying several local species of Coralliidae since the opening of the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium on November 1, 2002 (Nonaka et al., 2006). One of the most difficult groups of coral to keep, we have thus far succeeded in keeping individuals in captivity for only about two years. Nevertheless, we can gather valuable data from living precious corals being kept in a tank. Although many people are familiar with the word “coral”, there are relatively few people who have ever seen coral alive. Even fewer people have seen deep-sea species of precious coral alive. Public aquariums can provide an excellent opportunity to introduce living corals from both shallow and deep water to visitors, and to encourage interest in them and other marine creatures too. But, although aquariums can and should serve as educational facilities, it is difficult to get visitors to notice these tranquil, quiet creatures! Masanori Nonaka We have tried and failed to attract attention to precious corals by special signs and lighting, so now we at the Churaumi Aquarium are planning a special exhibit about the relationship of precious coral to cultural anthropology.