Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Palythoa tuberculosa
Species of coral From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Palythoa tuberculosa, also known as the Pillow Zoanthid, or Rubbery Zoanthid, is a species of cnidarian in the family Sphenopidae.[1][2][3][4] This species is commonly found in shallow tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, including Hawai'i, where it plays a role in reef ecosystems by forming encrusting colonies on rocky surfaces.[3][4][5]
Remove ads
Description
Like other zoanthids, Palythoa tuberculosa lacks a hard skeleton and consists of small polyps embedded in a thick, fleshy mat.[3] The polyps are short and immersed in the surrounding tissue, with tentacles that are typically retracted during the day and extended at night.[6] The colonies can vary in color, including shades of blue-gray, green, gray, brown, or pink.[3][4]
Distribution and habitat
Palythoa tuberculosa is widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific, including regions such as Hawai'i, Japan, and the Great Barrier Reef.[7] It inhabits a range of environments, from exposed rocky coastlines with heavy wave action to sandy reef flats where colonies become encrusted with sand.[3] In areas with steep, sediment-free surfaces, colonies tend to grow larger and remain free of sand, while in more sheltered habitats, smaller colonies develop with sand covering their surface.[3]
Remove ads
Ecology
As a member of the order Zoantharia, Palythoa tuberculosa is a colonial anemone-like organism that depends on both heterotrophic and autotrophic feeding strategies. It captures planktonic prey using its tentacles, which contain specialized stinging cells called nematocysts.[8] It may contain a deadly toxin called Palytoxin, thus it is important to avoid contact.[4] Additionally, it harbors symbiotic zooxanthellae, photosynthetic algae that provide nutrients to the host through the process of photosynthesis.[6]
Taxonomy and molecular studies
The species has been previously listed under the name Palythoa caesia.[4] However, molecular and morphological studies have confirmed that Palythoa caesia and Palythoa tuberculosa are conspecific, meaning they belong to the same species.[7]
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads