Unique Ecosystem - Marine Life
Currently, there are two known species of hermatypic coral in the Oki Islands: nihon-awa-sango (Alveopora japonica) and amime-sango (Psammocora profundacellla). Nihon-awa-sango is endemic to the waters surrounding Japan; along the Pacific coast, it is distributed from Sagami Bay to the east coast of Kyushu in the waters of the Kuroshio Current, and in the Sea of Japan it is distributed from Wakasa Bay to the west coast of Kyushu in the waters of the Tsushima Warm Current.
This species is considered to have adapted to warm regions because it is widely distributed in warm waters. Its habitat ranges from rocky reefs at a depth of 15 m to muddy shallow waters in inner bays, where large colonies may be formed. The coral forms a small colony with a diameter of around 10 cm and often forms a beautiful sphere. The habitat of the coral that has been confirmed is very limited, and the population is also very small; this is a highly valuable coral.
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Scientific Name
Alveopora japonica
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Classification
Family Acroporidae
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Distribution
From Sagami Bay to the east coast of Kyushu, From Wakasa Bay to the west coast of Kyushu
