Order CORALLIMORPHARIA Hertwig, 1882

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Introduction

These small anemone-like animals occur as solitary individuals or in colonies which may carpet large sections of reefs. They represent an intermediate stage in evolution between anemones and corals. Lacking a skeleton, jewel anemones gain support from an internal mesenterial arrangement similar to that of the hard corals. The oral disc of these animals may form a bag or a flat disc shape with a ring of tentacles around the mouth. The tentacles cannot be retracted and in some species appear reduced in size or almost absent. Individual corallimorphs range in diameter from a few centimetres to 30cm and the largest individuals are capable of capturing and consuming small fish. Consulting specialist for this section was Dr. Daphne Fautin

General References

Fautin, D.G. 2011. Hexacorallians of the World. http://geoportal.kgs.ku.edu/hexacoral/anemone2/index.cfm

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