genus: Melithaea in taxonomy (Gaia Guide)
Animalia > Radiata > Cnidaria > Anthozoa > Anthozoa > Octocorallia > Alcyonacea > Scleraxonia > Melithaeidae > Melithaea (gallery)
Melithaea


©Andy: A colony Melithaea sp. showing the typical morphology. Polyps are retracted

©Andy: Macro photograph of a colony of Melithaea with polyps retracted

Genus Melithaea

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Anthozoa
Order Alcyonacea
Family Melithaeidae
Genus Melithaea
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Distinguishing features

A group of species of azooxanthellate soft corals with a two-dimensional fan-like morphology. Branchlets bifurcate, and may fuse. Polyps are monomorphic and retractile. Colonies may form fans more than one meter in area. Melithaea sp(p). are usually red to pink, but yellow and purple specimens are also found.

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Synonyms

Distribution and habitat preferences

Exposed sites with good current flow, such as reef fronts and passes.

Can be found in most reef habitats around Lizard Island.

Web resources

References

  • Dai, C.-F. and M.-C. Lin (1993). The effects of flow on feeding of three gorgonians from southern Taiwan, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 173: 57-69.
  • Fabricius, K. and P. Alderslade (2001). in: Soft corals and sea fans: a comprehensive guide to the tropical shallow water genera of the central-west Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville.
  • Goulet, T.L., T.C. LaJeunesse and K.E. Fabricius (2008). Symbiont specificity and bleaching susceptibility among soft corals in the 1998 Great Barrier Reef mass coral bleaching event, Marine Biology, 154: 795-804.
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