THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

Appearance: Colonies can be massive,
encrusting, dome-shaped or flattened.
Corallites form meandering walls of brown,
green, or gray surrounding contrasting valleys
of cream, pink, gray, or even fluorescent green.
Easily confused with Goniastrea and Leptoria
species.
Diet: Primary nutrition received from the
photosynthesis of symbiotic zooxanthellae.
Supplemental diet from capture of
microplankton by stinging tentacles.
R e p r o d u c t i o n a n d D e v e l o p m e n t :
Hermaphroditic. Reported to spawn once
a year, between July and August, releasing
sperm and eggs during the new moon.
Conservation Status: Like all coral species,
Platygyra spp. are listed on Appendix II
of the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species (CITES), meaning
international trade in the species should be
carefully monitored and controlled.
Open Brain Coral
Trachyphyllia geoffroyi (Trachyphylliidae)
Distribution: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea.
Habitat: Prefers soft sand or muddy substrates
on sheltered reef slopes or in lagoons.
Appearance: Name comes from Gr: trachys
(rough) and phylon (leaf) as it looks like a
leaf lying on the substrate. Trachyphyllia are
secondarily free-living, usually beginning
growth as a single polyp attached to a hard
surface. Later it breaks off, and is found
detached on sandy or muddy bottoms. Color
may vary with depth or substrate: pink to red,
brownish, gray, green, or blue, even multistreaked
and iridescent. Fleshy polyps extend
well beyond the margin of the stony skeleton.
Diet: Nutrition from photosynthetic zooxanthellae;
also microplankton and other small
food bits. Tentacles extended in low light or at
night to capture plankton.
Remarks: A popular species in the aquarium
trade.
Elegance Coral
Catalaphyllia jardinei (Caryophylliidae)
Distribution: Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Found to depths of 40 m, but do
especially well in shallower, lagoon habitats
and sandy or muddy areas between reefs
California Academy of Sciences
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with sea grasses where they bury into the soft
substrate. Prefer areas with gentle currents.
Appearance: The cone shape of their skeleton’s
base allows Catalaphyllia to burrow into soft
substrates, and the large polyps of C. jardinei
are conspicuous and easily recognized by their
colorful oral discs and long tentacles that make
it look deceptively like an anemone. Colors are
varied and striking.
Diet: Receives nutrition from the photosynthesis
of symbiotic algae. May also capture small
invertebrates and even fish in feeding tentacles,
armed with unusually powerful nematocysts.
Like many stony corals, they also capture
planktonic organisms, organic particles, and
can absorb dissolved organic matter directly
through the body wall.
Reproduction and Development: Broadcast
spawner. Not propagated in captivity, but
may reproduce by budding under optimal
conditions. Also a portion of a polyp may
become detached from the skeleton and form
a new colony.
Conservation: Though not listed by IUCN
or CITES, the popularity of C. jardenei in the
aquarium trade is cause for concern about
overharvesting.
Mortality/Longevity: Strong stinging tentacles
are used for defense and the capture of small
prey.
Remarks: The ability to expand its tissue
with water allows the coral to lift itself out of
accumulating sediments to avoid burial in its
muddy habitat.
Strong nematocysts and long tentacles require
this potential bully to be placed some distance
from other corals. Only Euphyllia ancora seems
to dominate this aggressive species.
Tentacles are known to raise welts on the skin
of unwary aquarists.
Frogspawn and Anchor Corals
Euphyllia spp. (Caryophylliidae)
Distribution: Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Prefer shallow environments with
moderate wave action, especially on protected
horizontal substrates or rocky outcrops.
Appearance: These are large polyp corals
(LPC). Polyps expand during the day. Often
mistaken for a soft coral because large polyps
hide the hard, cone-like calcium carbonate skel-