AndiV
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Reimer, Irei & Fujii, 2012
The first Neozoanthus colony was found in the waters off Madagascar and was first described in 1972, where it was classified monotypically as Neozoanthus tulearensis.
Neozoanthus polyps look like mini sea anemones with flat, smooth oral discs and long, pointed tentacles, which at first glance do not resemble Zoanthus or Palyothoa crust anemones.
The diameter of the mini-polyps is only about 0.6 cm; the discs are red, blue, or gray.
Neozoanthus caleyi was first found in the Great Barrier Reef; another species, Neozoanthus uchina, was discovered in the waters around the Ryukyu Islands.
Phylogenetic studies concluded that these are two distinct species.
It is presumed that they feed by ingesting minute zooplankton.
Detailed studies revealed that the polyps had embedded small grains of sand within their tissue.
Etymology.
This species is named after Dr. Julian Caley, the director of the Australian “Census of Coral Reef Ecosystems” (CReefs) project.
Dr. Caley’s approval of the first author’s participation in the CReefs project led to the discovery of this species.
Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Cnidaria (Phylum) > Anthozoa (Class) > Hexacorallia (Subclass) > Hexcorallia (Order) > Brachycnemina (Suborder) > Neozoanthidae (Family) > Neozoanthus (Genus)
The first Neozoanthus colony was found in the waters off Madagascar and was first described in 1972, where it was classified monotypically as Neozoanthus tulearensis.
Neozoanthus polyps look like mini sea anemones with flat, smooth oral discs and long, pointed tentacles, which at first glance do not resemble Zoanthus or Palyothoa crust anemones.
The diameter of the mini-polyps is only about 0.6 cm; the discs are red, blue, or gray.
Neozoanthus caleyi was first found in the Great Barrier Reef; another species, Neozoanthus uchina, was discovered in the waters around the Ryukyu Islands.
Phylogenetic studies concluded that these are two distinct species.
It is presumed that they feed by ingesting minute zooplankton.
Detailed studies revealed that the polyps had embedded small grains of sand within their tissue.
Etymology.
This species is named after Dr. Julian Caley, the director of the Australian “Census of Coral Reef Ecosystems” (CReefs) project.
Dr. Caley’s approval of the first author’s participation in the CReefs project led to the discovery of this species.
Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Cnidaria (Phylum) > Anthozoa (Class) > Hexacorallia (Subclass) > Hexcorallia (Order) > Brachycnemina (Suborder) > Neozoanthidae (Family) > Neozoanthus (Genus)
