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Cauliflower soft coral

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Cauliflower soft coral
Cauliflower soft coral
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Octocorallia
Order: Alcyonacea
Family: Nephtheidae
Genus: Eunephthya
Species:
E. t. [1]
Binomial name
Eunephthya thyrsoidea [1]
Verrill, 1869

The cauliflower soft coral (Eunephthya thyrsoidea) is a species of colonial soft coral in the family Nephtheidae.[2]

Description

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Cauliflower soft corals grow in colonies of up to 30 centimeters in height. The polyps are 0.2 cm in diameter. It grows as a large whitish colony with side branches ending in bunches of grey- or brown-tinged polyps.[3]

Distribution

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This species is known from the Cape Peninsula to northern KwaZulu-Natal off the South African coast, and Port Stephens in New South Wales and lives from 10 to 240m under water.

Ecology

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This species is often found on vertical rockfaces and when not feeding it contracts tightly, and its resemblance to a cauliflower is striking. It is fed upon by the walking anemone, Preactis millardae.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Eunephthya thyrsoidea (Verrill, 1865)". marinespecies.org. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  2. ^ Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0
  3. ^ a b Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9