Prof.Dr. Claudia Pogoreutz, Frankreich
Info
At first glance at the main image by Prof. Dr. Claudia Pogoreutz, most saltwater aquarists and divers may immediately think of the Milka coral Stylophora pistillata, and only upon closer inspection do doubts arise.
In fact, the photo shows a so-called filigree coral, a hydrozoan, of which Stylaster and Distichopora are the best-known genera.
Distichopora irregularis is characterized by its irregular growth form and the peculiarity that it forms calcareous colonies rather than free-swimming medusae.
In the photo from CAL Photos at the University of California, Berkeley, one might also assume at first glance that it is an Arcopora stony coral.
In any case, the name filigree coral is understandable here.
The characteristics of the aforementioned genera include the following properties:
The animals are colonial, ahermatypical, and usually form a tree-like shape.
They often display very bright and appealing shades of red and purple.
Since these animals do not photosynthesize, they depend on the uptake of organic suspended matter, which they absorb from the water column with small tubular, hair-like tentacles called gastrozooids.
The skeletons of these animals are quite hard, and unlike calcium skeleton corals, the color of the corals is consistent throughout.
The distribution of this filigram coral will be significantly greater than currently known.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Claudia Pogoreutz, France, and Paul Human, USA, for the first photos of this filigree coral.
In fact, the photo shows a so-called filigree coral, a hydrozoan, of which Stylaster and Distichopora are the best-known genera.
Distichopora irregularis is characterized by its irregular growth form and the peculiarity that it forms calcareous colonies rather than free-swimming medusae.
In the photo from CAL Photos at the University of California, Berkeley, one might also assume at first glance that it is an Arcopora stony coral.
In any case, the name filigree coral is understandable here.
The characteristics of the aforementioned genera include the following properties:
The animals are colonial, ahermatypical, and usually form a tree-like shape.
They often display very bright and appealing shades of red and purple.
Since these animals do not photosynthesize, they depend on the uptake of organic suspended matter, which they absorb from the water column with small tubular, hair-like tentacles called gastrozooids.
The skeletons of these animals are quite hard, and unlike calcium skeleton corals, the color of the corals is consistent throughout.
The distribution of this filigram coral will be significantly greater than currently known.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Claudia Pogoreutz, France, and Paul Human, USA, for the first photos of this filigree coral.
