Orange cup coral

For another species referred to as the orange cup coral, see Balanophyllia elegans.

Orange cup coral (Tubastraea coccinea) belongs to a group of corals known as large-polyp stony corals. This non-reef building coral extends beautiful translucent tentacles at night. Tubastraea coccinea is heterotrophic and does not contain zooxanthellae in its tissues as many tropical corals do, allowing it to grow in complete darkness as long as it can capture enough food.

Orange cup coral
T. coccinea with tentacles withdrawn
Extended tentacles of T. coccinea
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Class:	Hexacorallia
Order:	Scleractinia
Family:	Dendrophylliidae
Genus:	Tubastraea
Species:	T. coccinea
Binomial name
Tubastraea coccinea Lesson, 1829
Synonyms
List Astropsammia pedersenii Verrill, 1869 Coenopsammia ehrenbergiana Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 Coenopsammia gaimardi Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 Coenopsammia manni Verrill, 1866 Coenopsammia radiata Verrill, 1864 Coenopsammia tenuilamellosa Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 Coenopsammia urvillei Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 Dendrophyllia affinis Duncan, 1889 Dendrophyllia aurantiaca Quoy & Gaimard, 1833 Dendrophyllia manni (Verrill, 1866) Dendrophyllia surcularis Verrill, 1869 Dendrophyllia turbinata Nemenzo, 1960 Lobopsammia aurea Quoy & Gaimard, 1833 Pachypsammia valida Verrill, 1866 Placopsammia darwini Duncan, 1876 Tubastaea coccinea Lesson, 1830 [lapsus] Tubastraea aurea (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833) Tubastraea tenuilamellosa (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848) Tubastrea aurea (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833)

Habitat

Tubastraea coccinea inhabits shaded vertical surfaces and caverns down to huge depths. Orange-cup-corals are also found in very cold water throughout the world. Orange-cup corals often dominate tropical habitats not occupied by other coral species, such as wrecks and cryptic reef habitats. They also colonize artificial structures, but experiments have demonstrated similar preferences for granite, cement, steel and tile. In Brazil, they are most abundant in the shallow sub-tidal zone at shallow depths between 0m and 3m.

Invasive introduction and range

Although Tubastraea coccinea is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) website and database, it often competes with other benthic invertebrates for substratum space. This may put native species at risk, particularly sponges and native corals. Local exclusion or extinction of such species may occur, and the removal of the native corals may reduce the production of the entire ecosystem, compromising ecosystem functions.

Tubastraea coccinea is native to the Indo-Pacific region, it has been recorded at Sonadia Island, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh in 2013, by Marinelife Alliance, research organization. However, it has been introduced to the Atlantic, Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone, and the West African region and Mediterranean Sea (Malta) as well.

External links

• Encyclopedia of Life. "Details for: Orange Cup Coral". Encyclopedia of Life.
• Hawaii Coral Reef Network. "Family Dendrophyllidae: Cup Corals" (HMTL). Hawaii Coral Reef Network. Retrieved 15 February 2014.