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 |
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Pulau Hantu, Mar 07
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*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 |
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.
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