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1066,
Freshwater Pic
of the Day Link
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Heteractis magnifica (Quoy & Gaimard 1833), the
Magnificent Anemone. To thirty some inches across (a meter).
Tentacles and oral disc of the same color, with a base/pedicle
also colored... Typically purplish, but may be red, white/tan,
brown, green or blue. Previously and in older literature often
labeled as Radianthus ritteri (Hence this species is also
often referred to as Ritter's or the Ritteri Anemone). Found
widely in the Indo-Mid Pacific; East Africa and the Red Sea to
Australia, S. Japan, to the Tuamotu Archipelago (French
Polynesia).
Huahine, Fr. Polynesia 2018
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Heteractis magnifica (Quoy & Gaimard 1833), the
Magnificent Anemone. To thirty some inches across (a meter).
Tentacles and oral disc of the same color, with a base/pedicle
also colored... Typically purplish, but may be red, white/tan,
brown, green or blue. Previously and in older literature often
labeled as Radianthus ritteri (Hence this species is also
often referred to as Ritter's or the Ritteri Anemone). Found
widely in the Indo-Mid Pacific; East Africa and the Red Sea to
Australia, S. Japan, to the Tuamotu Archipelago (French
Polynesia).
Huahine, Fr. Polynesia 2018
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Distichopora sp. Suborder Stylasterina: Characterized by having a thick layer
of tissue overlying their skeletons. Their specialized feeding and
defensive polyps are imbedded within star-shaped openings in their
calcareous skeletons. Fr. Polynesia 2018
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Suborder Milleporina, are the stinging or fire corals.
Unlike the Stylasterines, their skeleton is only covered by a thin
epidermal layer; and their defensive polyps arise from separate
openings that encircle the gastrozooids (feeding polyps). Millepora is
the single genus. As you study and observe corals and coral-like
animals like the hydrozoans, you'll gain an appreciation for the
term polymorphic or "many shapes"; describing the several
physical forms a "species" can/does take dependent on
nutrient and other growing conditions; sometimes heavily branched and
delicate in appearance, other times more blade, fan-shaped and massive.
The number of varieties of Millepora are in dispute. Veron states that
there are at least 48 nominal species; an unknown number of true
species. More to the point for our discussion is the question of
"how to tell when you're looking at a fire coral?"
period. There's always the touch test; ouch. Most of the time, the
colonies are green or yellow-brown (due to endosymbiotic Zooxanthellae) fading
to whitish at the tips, and "soft", "hairy" and rounded in appearance.
On very close inspection, the arrangement of almost microscopic stinging
and eating polyps can be seen. Fr. Polynesia 2018
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