Are Corals Immortal

[reefle]

So I was wondering....

Are corals technically immortal given the right conditions?

I mean if a Montipora were technically left in a part of the ocean with optimal sunlight, no predators, plenty of food, etc. etc.

it would technically just grow forever and never die of old age correct?

Just a totally ridiculous thought I had

 

[solomon146]

nothing that God created is immortal except for our souls

 

[reefer gladness]

So I was wondering....

Are corals technically immortal given the right conditions?

I mean if a Montipora were technically left in a part of the ocean with optimal sunlight, no predators, plenty of food, etc. etc.

it would technically just grow forever and never die of old age correct?

Just something random I thought about.

A coral head like the monti you described is actually a colony of tiny animals so the growth you're describing is actually the colony expanding. Not sure how long the individual polyps could live, that's an interesting question.

Along similar lines, it's been postulated that anemones are among the oldest living creatures on the planet. Because they reproduce by fission (splitting), it's theorized that the nems we have in our aquarium today includes the genetic makeup of ancestors thousands of years old.

solomon146 - This is not the proper forum for theological discussions.

 

[Oxylebius]

In 2009, scientists released the results of their research on deep-sea (depths of ~300 to 3,000 m) corals throughout the world. They discovered specimens of black corals (Leiopathes) to be among the oldest continuously living organisms on the planet: around 4,265 years old. They show that the "radial growth rates are as low as 4 to 35 micrometers per year and that individual colony longevities are on the order of thousands of years".

http://www.pnas.org/content/106/13/5204

They definitely could live a very long life, but not necessarily immortal b/c one fishing trawl could kill that 4,265 year old coral. Propagation may not happen, thus not immortal.

 

[PSU4ME]

Very interesting question and some good responses.

Immortal may be a tall order but the notion of a long tailed lineage is certainly feasible given the right conditions.

 

[reefle]

I was wondering about that. didn't know if one polyp of a zoa would stay alive as long as it had the right conditions.

 

[Surfnut]

There is a type of cold water anemone they recently found growing under the ice cap at once of the poles: Don't remember which. These nems were found to never age. Come to think of it I may have linked the story here a few months back.

 

[solomon146]

solomon146 - This is not the proper forum for theological discussions.[/QUOTE]

i'm just answering the question by stating a fact. Is that considered a theological discussion? But there is never an innappropiate forum for God. Actually i think its a great forum for it since all the animals we put in our tanks were created by Him and we are all amazed at the wonders of His creation.

 

[goma]

Here is a friendly reminder!

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/off-topic/33366-politics-religion.html

 

[Paul B]

nothing that God created is immortal except for our souls

Corals would be immortal which is why God created Typhoons, crown of thorns starfish, parrotfish and Marine Aquarium Hobbiests.

 

[reefle]

Soloman I am a christian too, but I know there are places where it is better not to discuss this stuff. I came to this forum because I wanted a community of other saltwater hobbiests regardless of what they believe and follow. So although I appreciate your faith, lets keep this forum free of unneccesary comments

 

[solomon146]

Soloman I am a christian too, but I know there are places where it is better not to discuss this stuff. I came to this forum because I wanted a community of other saltwater hobbiests regardless of what they believe and follow. So although I appreciate your faith, lets keep this forum free of unneccesary comments

God is good...all the time!

 

[david42]

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/off-topic/33366-politics-religion.html[/url]