''Desmophyllum'' is a genus of

cnidaria 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, ...

ns belonging to the family

Caryophylliidae The Caryophylliidae are a family (biology), family of stony corals found from the tropics to temperate seas, and from shallow to very deep water. Genera *''Africana (coral), Africana'' Ocana & Brito, 2015 *''Anomocora'' Studer, 1878 *''Aste ...

. The genus has

cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, a cosmopolitan distribution is the range of a taxon that extends across most or all of the surface of the Earth, in appropriate habitats; most cosmopolitan species are known to be highly adaptable to a range of climatic and en ...

. ''D. dianthus'' is one of the most common deepwater corals. It lives at depths reaching 2,000 meters, in cold, dark water. Its polyps are solitary, reproducing only sexually, with sperm densities of less than 500/ml. The corals eat

plankton Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms that drift in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) but are unable to actively propel themselves against ocean current, currents (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are ca ...

and tiny

shrimp A shrimp (: shrimp (American English, US) or shrimps (British English, UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily Aquatic locomotion, swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchi ...

with their stinging tentacles. They are found throughout the world’s oceans and provide habitat for deepwater fish and other species.

Species

References

Caryophylliidae Scleractinia genera Taxa named by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg {{Scleractinia-stub