The taxonomy of Coralliidae — a family of precious corals sold as gems — has been redefined via DNA extraction and sequencing, a team of marine biologists said yesterday, adding that the reorganization would help the nation regulate the coral trade.
Speaking at a news conference in Taipei, project leader and Academia Sinica research fellow Jeng Ming-hsiou (鄭明修) said that Coralliidae inhabiting the nation’s waters have a potential economic value of NT$10 billion (US$320.8 million).
The amount of Coralliidae allowed to be exported annually is limited by the Fisheries Agency to avoid unrestrained harvesting, but customs agents do not know how to differentiate corals, he said.
The traditional way of differentiating Coralliidae, known as morphologically based taxonomy, was carried out by studying the corals’ appearance, he said, adding that the corals had formerly been incorrectly divided into two genera — Corallium and Paracorrallium — which do not have any phylogenetic relationship.
“A fish and a whale may look alike in form, but they are miles apart from the evolutionary perspective,” research paper first author Tu Tzu-hsuan (塗子瑄) said, commenting on flaws in the traditional identification method.
Using 110 Coralliidae specimens from museums worldwide, the researchers were able to revise the taxonomy by analyzing calcium carbonate buildup and the presence of symbiotic polyps, as well as studying coral skeletons under a scanning electron telescope and running DNA analyses.
The results helped the researchers to “reshuffle” all 37 species of the Coralliidae family based on genetic characteristics, Tu said.
The family now includes three genera according to the study: Corallium, Pleucorallium and Hemicorrillium.
Jeng said that thanks to their bright red colors and slow growth — gaining just about 2cm in width in a century — Coralliidae are extremely hard, measuring 4 on the Mohs scale, making them a highly sought gemstone.
The history of the use of Coralliidae as a prestige item dates back more than 3,000 years, and the coral was very popular among ancient Chinese dignitaries and Egyptian pharaohs, the researchers said.
Coral remains very popular in Asia, particularly among Chinese consumers, who come to Taiwan to purchase large quantities of Coralliidae, Tu said.
The Fisheries Agency stipulates that fishermen harvest no more than 3 tonnes of Coralliidae every year, he said.
Precious coral can also be found in Japan, the EU and in the Mediterranean Sea, he added.
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