Harman Patil (Editor)

Hydrocorella africana

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Phylum
  
Cnidaria

Rank
  
Species

Subclass
  
Leptolinae

Family
  
Hydractiniidae

Genus
  
Hydrocorella

Order
  
Anthomedusae

Hydrocorella africana

People also search for
  
Hydrocorella, Anthomedusae, Hydractiniidae, Hydractinia

Hydrocorella africana, the shell-mimic hydroid, is a small colonial encrusting hydroid in the family Hydractiniidae.

Contents

Description

Shell-mimic hydroids grow as calcified colonies of 0.5-2cm thick on shells of living snails. The colony has a pale chalky skeleton and cream to orange hydranths (feeding individuals).

Distribution

This colonial animal is found only off the South African coast from the west coast to Durban subtidally and to 500m under water.

Ecology

After the death of the mollusc the colony may continue growing in an open spiral. The colony often develops into spines and outgrowths, growing to such an extent that the colonised shell becomes unrecognisable.

References

Hydrocorella africana Wikipedia