soft corals text index | photo index
Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Alcyonaria/Octocorallia > Order Alcyonacea > Family Nephtheidea
Smooth flowery soft coral
Litophyton sp.*
Family Nephtheidae
updated Nov 2019
Where seen? These long-stemmed flowery soft corals are commonly seen on Tuas and sometimes seen on our other shores too. On coral rubble.

Features: Colony bushy about 6-12cm long. Colony has several long fat cylindrical 'stems' with many short widely-spaced branches along the 'stem'. The 'stem' pale, with sclerites embedded in the tissues. There are clusters of polyps all along these side branches. Polyps tiny (about 0.5cm) with eight beige or brown branched tentacles. No spikes next to the polyps. The animals harbour symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) and thus can be found in clearer waters.

Tuas, May 05


Pulau Hantu, Mar 07

*ID awaits confirmation. Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display

Smooth flowery soft corals on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Links

References

  • Fabricius, Katharina and Philip Alderslade, 2001. Soft Corals and Sea Fans. Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territoriy. 264 pp.
links | references | about | email Ria
Spot errors? Have a question? Want to share your sightings? email Ria I'll be glad to hear from you!
wildfactsheets website©ria tan 2008