Dendronephthya

Dendronephthya sp.

Dendronephthya is a coral species from the subclass of the Octocorallia. It is widespread in the Red Sea and the tropical Indo-Pacific. It grows mainly on ledges, overhangs or hangs down from cave roofs.

Features

Dendronephthya colonies can reach a height of one meter and will only be stabilized by the internal water pressure. Main trunk and large branches are without polyps. These sit in tangles at the ends of the branches. As with all Octocorallia the Dendronephthya polyps have eight tentacles. They can not be fully absorbed into the branches. The branches are densely provided with spindle-shaped sclerites, so that they feel pulled together rough. In the polyps sit smaller, about one millimeter long sclerites. Dendronephthya are usually gorgeous yellow, orange or red. The color of the polyp is often different from that of the branches. Dendronephthya not live in symbiosis with zooxanthellae, but eats only through the capture of phytoplankton.