A new study challenges more than 200 years of coral classification. Researchers say the ‘traditional’ method does not accurately capture the differences between species or their evolutionary relationships. They developed a new genetic tool to help better understand and ultimately work to save coral reefs.

«Surprisingly, we still don’t know how many coral species live on the Great Barrier Reef, how to identify them, or which species live where. And those are the first steps in saving an ecosystem like that,» said Dr Peter Cowman from the ARC Centre of Excellence at James Cook University (Coral CoE at JCU).

Dr Cowman led an international study on coral classification. Classification explains how species are related to each other. Shared similarities and differences provide a key to help identify species. For example, dogs and cats are classified on different branches of the evolutionary tree using their body design.

A seemingly finer detail, like how cats can retract their claws and dogs cannot, helps people decide whether a newly discovered species of small carnivore is more like a dog or a cat.

Dr Cowman said an important challenge when identifying corals is that the same species can grow in many different ways.

«For instance, some species can grow with either a plate or branch structure. The study found classifying corals by their physical characteristics didn’t match the classifications based on their genetics,» he said.

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Materials provided by ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.