Cantharellus noumeae coral, New Caledonia. Credit: Dr. Bert W. Hoeksema
Cantharellus noumeae coral, New Caledonia. Credit: Dr. Bert W. Hoeksema
About the Species
Cantharellus noumeae coral, New Caledonia. Credit: Dr. Bert W. Hoeksema
Cantharellus noumeae coral, New Caledonia. Credit: Dr. Bert W. Hoeksema
Cantharellus noumeae is a naturally rare species of coral endemic to the New Caledonia area of the South Pacific with a restricted range size. It is a cup-shaped fungiid or mushroom coral that stays attached to the substrate for its entire life. It may be solitary or grow in small colonies.
Cantharellus noumeae is listed as endangered throughout its range under the Endangered Species Act.
Population Status
Little information is available on the abundance, trends, and distribution of the species. It is considered rare as few records of the species exist despite numerous coral reef surveys in New Caledonia over the last decade. The species has small spatial distribution and is also thought to have low genetic diversity due to its small population size. C. noumeae faces the destruction and degradation of its habitat through climate change and mining activity.
Appearance
Cantharellus noumeae is a mushroom coral which gets its genus name from the scientific name of chanterelle mushrooms, which this species resembles. The coral is mottled brown in color, and has relatively small polyps (25-65 millimeters in diameter) that are cup-shaped with wavy margins.
Behavior and Diet
The species gets most of its energy from photosynthetic algae, called zooxanthellae, that live inside the coral’s cells. It is thought that like other fungiid corals, the species is able to shed sediment that may fall on it in its highly turbid environment.
Where They Live
The species is only found in New Caledonia and occurs in enclosed bays, settling on hard substrates in silty and muddy habitats at approximately 5 to 30 meters depth.
World map providing approximate representation of Cantharellus noumeae's range.
Lifespan & Reproduction
The reproductive methods of the species remain unknown, though they are likely the same as those used by other fungiid corals. This could include both asexual (budding or fragmentation) and sexual (broadcast spawning) methods of reproduction.
Threats
Climate change
Climate change is the greatest global threat to corals. Scientific evidence now clearly indicates that the Earth's atmosphere and oceans are warming, and that these changes are primarily due to greenhouse gases derived from human activities. As temperatures rise, mass coral bleaching events and infectious disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent. Additionally, carbon dioxide absorbed into the ocean from the atmosphere has already begun to reduce calcification rates in reef-building and reef-associated organisms by altering seawater chemistry through decreases in pH. This process is called ocean acidification.
Mining
The economy of New Caledonia is driven by nickel mining, and the country is currently the fifth largest producer of nickel in the world. The nickel mining industry of New Caledonia threatens C. noumeae through increased soil erosion and introduction of sediments and metals to the marine environment. Exposure to increased sedimentation and metal pollutants including iron, nickel, copper and cobalt have been shown to reduce calcification rates (the rate at which corals can build their skeleton) and cause bleaching in corals, which may lead to mortality.
Scientific Classification
| Animalia |
Cnidaria |
Anthozoa |
Scleractinia |
Fungiidae |
Cantharellus |
noumeae |
Last updated by NOAA Fisheries on 10/30/2023
