THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

44 A Docent Field Guide to the Species of the Steinhart Aquarium
etal base and six-fold symmetry that identify
Euphyllia as hard corals (scleractinians). Colors:
various shades of brown, green, yellow, and
gray. Tips of tentacles usually a different color.
Diet: Most nutrition provided by zooxanthellae;
take small meaty foods in captivity and
probably in the wild as well.
Reproduction and Development: Sexes
separate. Sexual reproduction by broadcast
spawnjng, asexual by budding.
Remarks: Most Euphyllia spp. are aggressive
and are capable of powerful stings. At night,
they can extend sweeper tentacles a foot or
more, most often to target other corals living
too close, attacks that can irritate or kill. They
are more tolerant of corals in the same family.
Stings can cause allergic reaction in humans.
Euphyllia species of the Steinhart:
Anchor Coral (Euphyllia ancora) - Polyps have
large tubular tentacles with anchor, hammer,
or T-shaped tips. Color blue-grey, tan, to
orange with cream or green outer borders on
the tentacles.
Frogspawn Coral (Euphyllia paradivisa) -
Named because of the colony’s resemblance
to a mass of fish or frog eggs. Color green to
brown to tan.
Fox Coral
Nemenzophyllia turbida (Caryophylliidae)
Distribution: Red Sea and east coast of Africa;
Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and north
New Guinea.
Habitat: Turbid or sheltered areas on sand or
muddy bottoms to 35 m.
Appearance: May be colonial or free-living.
Polyps a translucent white, green or pink, and
quite large, totally covering the skeleton when
extended during the day.
Diet: Nutrition from symbiotic zooxanthellae;
lacks visible feeding tentacles.
Remarks: When the polyp is expanded and
covers the thin skeleton, the fox coral looks like
a corallimorpharian in shape, size, and smooth
surface without tentacles.
Brown Cup Coral
Paracyathus sternsi (Caryophylliidae)
Distribution: British Columbia to Baja
California.
Habitat: Lower sides of rocky reefs; depth:
10– 35 m. A dominant sessile invertebrate at
deeper sites with low water motion.
Appearance: Color ranges from light brown to
a deep brownish purple; tentacles clear.
Diet: Small organic particles and zooplankton.
Prey is killed or disabled by stinging tentacles
and then entrapped and carried to the mouth
by specialized sticky cells on the tentacles. Cup
size: c. 4 cm.
Reproduction and Development: Sexes
separate. Fertilized eggs brooded in the
female’s gastrovascular cavity.
Remarks: More likely to occur singly than in
groups like the orange cup coral (Balanophyllia
elegans).
Bubble Coral
Plerogyra sinuosa (Caryophyllidae)
Distribution: Indo-Pacific and Australia region.
Habitat: Turbid bays and lagoons, on reefs in
deep water or under overhangs.
Appearance: Colonial corals often covered
with clusters of bubble-like structures (thus
the common name), each over 1 cm in length.
Colored gray, bluish, greenish, brownish or
rich cream.
Diet: Light-capturing bubble-like vesicles extend
during the day to support the photosynthesis
of the algal symbionts. Tentacles extend
at night to capture small prey.
Remarks: This is a stony coral, despite the soft
appearance the “bubbles” give during the day.
Orange Cup Coral
Balanophyllia elegans (Dendrophylliidae)
Distribution: British Columbia to Baja
California; common especially in southern
California.
Habitat: Found on wharf pilings, under shaded
rocks and ledges from the low intertidal zone
to about 200 m.
Appearance: Generally orange, but yellow
morphs are not uncommon. Tentacles typically
transparent and covered with warty knobs that
store nematocysts. Up to 25 mm in diameter.
Diet: Small animals, organic particles. Captures
prey with both stinging and sticky nematocysts.
Feeds mostly at night.
Reproduction and Development: Sexes
separate; eggs fertilized and developed in