Balanophyllia bonaespei

Balanophyllia bonaespei
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Cnidaria
Class:Anthozoa
Order:Scleractinia
Family:Dendrophylliidae
Genus:Balanophyllia
Species: B. bonaespei
Binomial name
Balanophyllia bonaespei
van der Horst, 1938[1]

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

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

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

This species is often found in caves or under dark overhangs.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) bonaespei van der Horst, 1938 World Register of Marine Species. accessed 15 August 2012
  2. ↑ 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
  3. 1 2 Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9
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