Heterocyathus

Heterocyathus is a genus of coral[1][2] of the family Caryophylliidae.

Heterocyathus
"Heterocyathus aequicostatus"
Heterocyathus aequicostatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Caryophylliidae
Genus: Heterocyathus
Milne-Edwards and Haime, 1848
Synonyms
  • Brachytrochus Duncan, 1876 (junior homonym)
  • Brachytrochus Reuss, 1864 †
  • Heterocyathus (Stephanoseris) Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1851
  • Psammoseris Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1851
  • Spongiocyathus Folkeson, 1919
  • Stephanoseris Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1851

Species
  • Heterocyathus aequicostatus Milne-Edwards and Haime, 1848[3] (type species)
    • Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus delicatus Sakakura, 1935
    • Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus parasiticus Semper, 1872
  • Heterocyathus alternatus Verrill, 1865
  • Heterocyathus antoniae Reyes, Santodomingo & Cairns, 2009
  • Heterocyathus hemisphaericus Gray, 1849
  • Heterocyathus sulcatus (Verrill, 1866)
  • Heterocyathus cochlea (Spengler, 1781)
  • Heterocyathus eupsammides Gray, 1849
  • Heterocyathus hemisphericus Gray, 1849
  • Heterocyathus heterocostatus Harrison, 1911
  • Heterocyathus incrustans (Dennant, 1906)
  • Heterocyathus japonicus (Verrill, 1866)
  • Heterocyathus lamellosus (Verrill, 1865)
  • Heterocyathus mai Cheng, 1971
  • Heterocyathus oblongatus Rehberg, 1892
  • Heterocyathus parasiticus Semper, 1872
  • Heterocyathus philippensis Semper, 1872
  • Heterocyathus philippinensis Semper, 1872
  • Heterocyathus pulchellus Rehberg, 1892
  • Heterocyathus roussaeanus Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1848
  • Heterocyathus rousseaui (Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1857)
  • Heterocyathus woodmasoni Alcock, 1893

Ecology

'Mobility of this genus is facultative which means they have the capacity to move around but not always will they exhibit it. Heterocyathus could have zooxanthellae in shallow water, however, they may live on without symbiotic algae at deeper depths.[4] The Heterocyathus species is sometimes hermatypic or a hard coral primarily responsible for reef-building. In the case of Heterocyathus, reefs are made as the species produces layers of calcium carbonate beneath their bodies. [5] They show epifaunal characteristics and hence are seen in deeper areas of water. They are microcarnivores[6] feeding on tiny organisms.[7] A species of hermit crabs, Diogenidae Heteropsammia, allows for the Heterocyathus the ability to roam around the seafloor. [8]

Symbiotic Relationships

Heterocyathus has both a mutualism and parasitism relationship with another organism called the Albian scleractinian- sipunculan (commonly known as a type of worm). The coral benefits since the worm offers nutrients and food, meanwhile the worm benefits since the coral is a form of protection or shelter. However, if the shell of the coral outgrows the worm, the worm benefits by gaining total protection, thus making a parasitism relationship [9]

[10]http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184311

References
  1. Milne Edwards, H. & Haime, J. (1848). "Recherches sur les Polypiers. Deuxième Mémoire". Annals des Sciences Naturelles. Monographie des Turbinolides. 9: 211–344.
  2. Hoeksema, B. W.; Cairns, S. (2019). World List of Scleractinia. Heterocyathus Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=206380 on 23 August 2019
  3. "Heterocyathus aequicostatus". Corals of the World. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  4. Hoeksema, B. W.; Matthews, J. L. (2015). "Partial bleaching in an assemblage of small apozooxanthellate corals of the genera Heteropsammia and Heterocyathus". Coral Reefs. 34 (4): 1227. Bibcode:2015CorRe..34.1227H. doi:10.1007/s00338-015-1314-y – via Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
  5. Wijsman-Best M, Faure G, Pichon M. (1980). Contribution to the knowledge of the stony corals from the Seychelles and Eastern Africa. Revue Zoologique Africaine. 3: 600-627, pls. 9-`12.
  6. "microcarnivore - Wiktionary". en.m.wiktionary.org. 16 June 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  7. "Heterocyathus Milne-Edwards and Haime 1848 (stony coral)". Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  8. A new species of hermit crab, Diogenes heteropsammicola (Crustacea, Decapoda, Anomura, Diogenidae), replaces a mutualistic sipunculan in a walking coral symbiosis
  9. Stolarski, J., Zibrowius, H., & Loser, H. A. N. N. E. S. (2001). Antiquity of the scleractinian-sipunculan symbiosis. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 46(3).
  10. Hoeksema, B.W. & M.B. Best, 1991. New observations on scleractinian corals from Indonesia: 2. Sipunculan-associated species belonging to the genera Heterocyathus and Heteropsammia. ? Zoologische Mededelingen, Leiden 65: 221-245.
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