Tubastrea
Encyclopedia
Tubastrea, also known as sun coral or sun polyps, is a genus of coral
in the phylum
Cnidaria
. It is a cup coral in the family Dendrophylliidae.
.
, sun coral reproduces asexually. They are hermaphroditic, and produce planula
e. These larvae
live for up to two weeks, but usually colonize within 1 metres (3.3 ft) of the parent organism. They reproduce for approximately 1.5 years, growing about 3 cm² per year.
In addition, Tubastrea form runners, that can extend 10.4 centimetres (4.1 in) per year, until they reach unoccupied areas, then forming polyps at the end of the runner.
Reproduction occurs sexually during summer, spring, and winter seasons. After fertilization, the female corals will carry the eggs as the offspring develop within her gastrovascualr cavity and released as larvae. After being released, the larvae disperse and eventually settle on rocky seafloors "cementing" its skeletal structure to a rock. Once cemented, the coral will grow and reside there for the rest of its life.
. In addition, they extend their colorful tentacles only at night, further reducing their appeal.
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
in the phylum
Phylum
In biology, a phylum The term was coined by Georges Cuvier from Greek φῦλον phylon, "race, stock," related to φυλή phyle, "tribe, clan." is a taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class. "Phylum" is equivalent to the botanical term division....
Cnidaria
Cnidaria
Cnidaria is a phylum containing over 9,000 species of animals found exclusively in aquatic and mostly marine environments. Their distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that they use mainly for capturing prey. Their bodies consist of mesoglea, a non-living jelly-like substance,...
. It is a cup coral in the family Dendrophylliidae.
Description
Sun corals belong to a group of corals known as large-polyp stony corals. This means that while they produce a hard skeleton, they do not build reefs. Different species have polyps in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, and shades of black.Feeding
Unlike most corals, Sun corals are not photosynthetic. Tubastrea do not host zooxanthellae,the symbiotic algae that provides energy to the coral via photosynthesis. Instead, they are heterotrophic, and extend long tentacles at night to catch passing zooplanktonZooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
.
Habitat
Tubastrea is often found in deep waters, because they do not require sunlight for nourishment. They often colonize artificial surfaces, such as ship wrecks, for similar reasons.Reproduction and growth
Like most coralCoral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
, sun coral reproduces asexually. They are hermaphroditic, and produce planula
Planula
A planula is the free-swimming, flattened, ciliated, bilaterally symmetric larval form of various cnidarian species. The planula forms from the fertilized egg of a medusa, as the case in scyphozoans and some hydrozoans, or from a polyp, as in the case of anthozoans...
e. These larvae
Larvae
In Roman mythology, lemures were shades or spirits of the restless or malignant dead, and are probably cognate with an extended sense of larvae as disturbing or frightening...
live for up to two weeks, but usually colonize within 1 metres (3.3 ft) of the parent organism. They reproduce for approximately 1.5 years, growing about 3 cm² per year.
In addition, Tubastrea form runners, that can extend 10.4 centimetres (4.1 in) per year, until they reach unoccupied areas, then forming polyps at the end of the runner.
Reproduction occurs sexually during summer, spring, and winter seasons. After fertilization, the female corals will carry the eggs as the offspring develop within her gastrovascualr cavity and released as larvae. After being released, the larvae disperse and eventually settle on rocky seafloors "cementing" its skeletal structure to a rock. Once cemented, the coral will grow and reside there for the rest of its life.
Captivity
Tubastrea are difficult to keep in aquaria, because they require daily feedings of zooplanktonZooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
. In addition, they extend their colorful tentacles only at night, further reducing their appeal.