Balanophyllia bonaespei
Appearance
Balanophyllia bonaespei | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Cnidaria |
Class: | Hexacorallia |
Order: | Scleractinia |
Family: | Dendrophylliidae |
Genus: | Balanophyllia |
Species: | B. bonaespei
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Binomial name | |
Balanophyllia bonaespei van der Horst, 1938[1]
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Balanophyllia bonaespei is a species of solitary cup coral, a stony coral in the family Dendrophylliidae.[2] It is an azooxanthellate species that does not contain symbiotic dinoflagellates in its tissues as most corals do.[1]
Description
[edit]Cup corals are solitary hard corals which superficially resemble orange sea anemones. They grow to 1–2 cm in diameter. They have almost transparent beaded tentacles.[3]
Distribution
[edit]This species is known from Saldanha Bay to East London off the South African coast, and lives from 5 to 150 metres (16 to 492 ft) under water.
Ecology
[edit]This species is often found in caves or under dark overhangs.[3]
References
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
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- ^ a b Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) bonaespei van der Horst, 1938 World Register of Marine Species. accessed 15 August 2012
- ^ Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0
- ^ a b Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9