Genus Heteractis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851

Museums

Regional Maps

• Heteractis Milne Edwards, H. & Haime, J. 1851. Monographie des polypiers fossiles des terrains palaeozoïques, précédée d'un tableau général de la classification des polypes. Archives du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris 5: 1-504, pls. I-XX [10].

  Type species:

   Actinia aurora Quoy & Gaimard, 1833 by original designation.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IMCRA

Christmas Island Province (23), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Diagnosis

Distinct base. Column smooth, with cinclides in a horizontal zone near the middle of the column. Margin tentaculate. Sphincter weak, mesogloeal. Tentacles up to 192 in number, not fully retractile with scattered, spherical, hollow protuberances on their surface, differing from the rest of the tentacle chiefly in that they possess many nematocysts and have reduced longitudinal muscles. Longitudinal muscles of tentacles ectodermal. Oral disc not lobed. Six pairs of perfect and fertile mesenteries, 2 pairs of directives. Probably more mesenteries distally than proximally. Retractors diffuse, parietobasilar muscles weak. Acontia numerous. Cnidom: spirocysts, basitrichs, microbasic p-mastigophores, microbasic amastigophores.

General References

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

History of changes