Anthozoans are benthic animals, and all of the adults are sessile (coral) or sedentary (sea anemones). Many species, such as the corals, form large colonies. They only exhibit the polyp stage in their life cycle, and many of them resemble brightly colored flowers, hence the name anthozoans, which means "flower animal".
Sea anemones are polyps that are larger, heavier, and more complex than hydrozoan polyps. They inhabit both deep water and shallow coastal water worldwide, and are the most diverse in the tropics. They can be found attached to hard surfaces, such as rocks, shells, or submerged wood, but some burrow in the sand or mud. They are capable of expanding, contracting, and using their tentacles to capture prey. When annoyed, the sea anemones will withdraw their tentacles and contract their bodies. Many will also change location by gliding on their base, crawling, or walking on their tentacles. Coral animals are polyps that can secrete a skeleton around their bodies. All the members of a colony are connected by a horizontal sheet of tissue. Coral reefs are the products of reef-building hard corals, and red & green algae. Soft corals form colonies that look more like plants than animals. Octocorals have 8 tentacles instead of the 12 or more that other species typically have. They are common members of reef fauna, especially in the Caribbean. They have a large primary polyp with a stem-like base for attachment.
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