Octocorallians

/A Diversity of Aquatic Life

The Octocorals, Super-Order Octocorallia; Use In Marine Aquariums

Subclass Octocorallia/Alcyonaria. Octocorals. Anthozoa with eight-multiple tentacles. Almost all colonial.

Order Stolonifera: Polyps arise from a creeping mat (stolon). Skeleton of calcareous tubes. Includes

Order Telestacea: Lateral polyps on simple or branched stems; skeletons of calcareous spicules.

Order Alcyonacea: the Soft Corals. Fleshy, rubbery. Mushroom or variously lobate growth forms. Skeleton of separate calcareous spicules. At right, a colony of the Xeniid Anthelia glauca in the Red Sea.

Order Coenothecalia: Comprised of only the Indo-Pacific Blue Coral, Heliopora. Massive calcareous skeleton.

Order Gorgonacea: Sea fans, Sea Whips, precious red jewelry coral (Corallium). Long stiff internal skeletons. Horny, upright plantlike growth. Colonial. The Whip Coral Juncella juncea, family Ellisellidae in the Red Sea at right.

Order Pennatulacea: Sea Pens. Colonies as fleshy, flattened or elongate. Anchored in mud or sand bottom.

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