''Corynactis'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of colonial
anthozoa
Anthozoa is one of the three subphyla of Cnidaria, along with Medusozoa and Endocnidozoa. It includes Sessility (motility), sessile marine invertebrates and invertebrates of brackish water, such as sea anemones, Scleractinia, stony corals, soft c ...
ns similar in appearance to
sea anemone
Sea anemones ( ) are a group of predation, predatory marine invertebrates constituting the order (biology), order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the ''Anemone'', a terrestrial flowering plant. Sea anemone ...
s and in body format to
scleractinian stony corals. These animals are
cnidarian
Cnidaria ( ) is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic invertebrates found both in fresh water, freshwater and marine environments (predominantly the latter), including jellyfish, hydroid (zoology), hydroids, ...
s in the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Corallimorphidae. Large unidentified polyps of this genus feed on the crown-of-thorns seastar ''
Acanthaster planci'' and may help control the crown-of-thorns population.
Species
Species so far described in this genus include:
*''
Corynactis annulata''
Verrill, 1867
*''
Corynactis australis
''Corynactis'' is a genus of colonial anthozoans similar in appearance to sea anemones and in body format to scleractinian stony corals. These animals are cnidarians in the family (biology), family Corallimorphidae. Large unidentified polyps of ...
''
Haddon & Duerden, 1896
*''
Corynactis caboverdensis''
den Hartog, Ocaña & Brito, 1993
*''
Corynactis californica''
Carlgren, 1936
*''
Corynactis caribbeorum
''Corynactis'' is a genus of colonial anthozoans similar in appearance to sea anemones and in body format to scleractinian stony corals. These animals are cnidarians in the family Corallimorphidae. Large unidentified polyps of this genus feed ...
''
den Hartog, 1980
*''
Corynactis carnea
''Corynactis'' is a genus of colonial anthozoans similar in appearance to sea anemones and in body format to scleractinian stony corals. These animals are cnidarians in the family Corallimorphidae. Large unidentified polyps of this genus feed ...
''
Studer, 1879
*''
Corynactis chilensis''
Carlgren, 1941
*''
Corynactis delawarei''
Widersten, 1976
*''
Corynactis denhartogi''
Ocaña, 2003
*''
Corynactis denticulosa
''Corynactis'' is a genus of colonial anthozoans similar in appearance to sea anemones and in body format to scleractinian stony corals. These animals are cnidarians in the family Corallimorphidae. Large unidentified polyps of this genus feed ...
''
Le Sueur, 1817
*''
Corynactis globulifera
''Corynactis'' is a genus of colonial anthozoans similar in appearance to sea anemones and in body format to scleractinian stony corals. These animals are cnidarians in the family Corallimorphidae. Large unidentified polyps of this genus feed ...
''
Hemprich & Ehrenberg in Ehrenberg, 1834
*''
Corynactis parvula
''Corynactis'' is a genus of colonial anthozoans similar in appearance to sea anemones and in body format to scleractinian stony corals. These animals are cnidarians in the family (biology), family Corallimorphidae. Large unidentified polyps of ...
''
Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860
*''
Corynactis sanmatiensis
''Corynactis'' is a genus of colonial anthozoans similar in appearance to sea anemones and in body format to scleractinian stony corals. These animals are cnidarians in the family Corallimorphidae. Large unidentified polyps of this genus feed ...
''
(Zamponi, 1976)
*''
Corynactis viridis
''Corynactis viridis'', the jewel anemone, is a brightly coloured anthozoan similar in body form to a sea anemone or a scleractinian coral polyp, but in the order Corallimorpharia. It is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediter ...
''
Allman, 1846
Feeding
''Corynactis'', like other corals in the phylum
Corallimorpharia
Corallimorpharia is an order of marine cnidarians closely related to stony or reef building corals ( Scleractinia). They occur in both temperate and tropical climates, although they are mostly tropical. Temperate forms tend to be very robust, wi ...
, depend highly on their production of
zooxanthellae and numerous animals which find themselves trapped by the oral disk as benthic invertebrates, crustaceans, worms, echinoderms and even fishes. They are very aggressive eaters, which allows for them to feed on larger particles in the water column.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2998197
Corallimorphidae
Hexacorallia genera