Sinularia

Sinularia flexibilis

Sinularia is a genus of soft corals ( Alcyoniidae ) from the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific. They live mainly on the slopes of the reefs where they are very common, and less on the reef flat. Some Sinularia species can form large stands, where they are the only corals.

Features

Like all corals there are animal colonies consisting of many individual polyps. Sinularia species have a massive body and more or less large, finger-like growths that can also be spagetti -like, long ( Sinularia flexibilis ).

As with all leather corals and the body of Sinularia by small spicules ( sclerites ) is supported. The individual species can be distinguished safely only by an examination of the sclerites. In Sinularia leptoclados the sclerites in the colony base are so tightly packed that up to six meters high reef structures can arise. It is the only reef-building Corals.

The body of the animals is yellow, whitish or brown. The polyps have the same color. Sinularia live in an endosymbiosis with unicellular symbiotic algae ( zooxanthellae ).

Sinularia species can be kept in saltwater aquariums. They are also suitable for beginners in salt-water aquariums. They often reach in the aquarium sizes from 50 inches in diameter. Other species, such as Sinularia brassica and Sinularia dura remain rather small and are more suitable for home aquariums.