Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Cauliflower soft coral

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Family
  
Nephtheidae

Genus
  
Eunephthya

Order
  
Alcyonacea

Class
  
Anthozoa

Phylum
  
Cnidaria

Rank
  
Species

Cauliflower soft coral

Similar
  
Alcyonacea, Nephtheidae, Nephthea, Litophyton, Scleronephthya

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The cauliflower soft coral (Eunephthya thyrsoidea) is a species of colonial soft coral in the family Nephtheidae.

Contents

Description

Cauliflower soft corals grow in colonies of up to 30 cm in height. The polyps are 0.2 cm in diameter. It grows as a large whitish colony with side branches ending in bunches of grey- or brown-tinged polyps.

Distribution

This species is known from the Cape Peninsula to northern KwaZulu-Natal off the South African coast, and lives from 10 to 240m under water.

Ecology

This species is often found on vertical rockfaces and when not feeding it contracts tightly, and its resemblance to a cauliflower is striking. It is fed upon by the walking anemone, Preactis millardae.

References

Cauliflower soft coral Wikipedia