|
Home
Introduction
Objectives
Methodology
Ecologically
Important Areas
Information
in Detail
|
Coral reef
ecosystem:
Gulf
of Mannar is one of the most important coral reef reserves of India
that have very productivity. The coral reefs are developed around
a discontinuous chain of twenty-one islands that exist along 140 km
stretch between Rameswaram and Tuticorin. Different types of reef
formation have been observed in Gulf of Mannar viz. fringing reef,
patchy reef and coral pinnacles. Pillai (1971) has described the coral
reefs of Gulf of Mannar in detail. There are 96 species of coral reefs
belonging to 36 genera in this area. The majority of the coral genera
include Acropora, Montipora, Pocillopora, Turbinaria, Echinopora,
Favia, Favites, Goniastrea, Leptastrea, Leptoria, Platygyra, Goniopora,
Porites, Merulina, Symphyllia, Galaxea, Pavona, Coscinaria, Psammacora,
etc...
Coral reef area in Gulf of Mannar
|
Name of the Island
|
Coral Reef Area
(kmē)
|
Live Coral Cover
(%)
|
|
Shingle
|
2.0
|
46
|
|
Krusadai
|
1.5
|
33
|
|
Pullivasal & Poomarichan
|
4.0
|
14
|
|
Manoli & Manoliputti
|
15
|
25
|
|
Musal
|
18
|
52
|
|
Mulli
|
7
|
25
|
|
Valai & Talayari
|
14
|
16
|
|
Appa
|
5
|
2
|
|
Poovarasanpatti
Palliarmunai
|
6
|
50
|
|
Anaipar
|
5
|
37
|
|
Nallathanni
|
2
|
38
|
|
Pulivinichalli
|
7
|
38
|
|
Upputhanni
|
3
|
6
|
|
Karaichalli
|
0.31
|
4
|
|
Vilanguchalli
|
1
|
8
|
|
Kasuwar
|
6
|
5
|
|
Van
|
2.5
|
7
|
|
