Savalia lucifica, commonly known as the luminescent parazoanthid, is a form of false black coral in the family Parazoanthidae. It is known from the Pacific Ocean where it lives at depths of around 700 m (2,297 ft) off the coast of California, but more recently (2011) has been discovered in the Mediterranean Sea at a depth of 270 m (886 ft). This zoanthid exhibits bioluminescence.[2]
| Savalia lucifica | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Hexacorallia |
| Order: | Zoantharia |
| Family: | Parazoanthidae |
| Genus: | Savalia |
| Species: | S. lucifica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Savalia lucifica (Cutress C.E. & Pequegnat W.E., 1960)[1]
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Distribution
editSavalia lucifica was first described by Cutress & Pequegnat in 1960. The type specimen was recovered from the seabed at a depth of 700 m (2,297 ft) in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. In 2011 the same species was recovered from a depth of 270 m (886 ft) in the Mediterranean Sea by a robot submersible operated from the Italian oceanographic ship "Astrea". This vessel was undertaking exploration and research into the deepwater red coral populations of the Aegean Sea at the time.[2]
Ecology
editSavalia lucifica emits light when stimulated, for example when stroked gently by a finger. In the Mediterranean Sea, this zoanthid uses the deepwater gorgonian Callogorgia verticillata as a substrate.[3]
References
edit- ^ Sinniger, Frederic (2015). "Savalia lucifica (Cutress C.E. & Pequegnat W.E., 1960)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2015-05-30.
- ^ a b Laura Spano (2011-10-18). "Il corallo che si illumina nelle acque di Marettimo". ISPRA (in Italian). RepTV. Retrieved 2015-05-30.
- ^ "ISPRA: scoperto in Sicilia un corallo dotato di luce propria. Localizzata dalla nave dell'Istituto un'eccezionale specie bioluminescente". Comunicati stampa (in Italian). ISPRA. 2011-10-14. Retrieved 2015-05-30.