Cat's Eye Coral (species: Cynarina lacrymalis) in taxonomy (Gaia Guide)
Animalia > Radiata > Cnidaria > Anthozoa > Anthozoa > Hexacorallia > Scleractinia > Lobophylliidae > Cynarina > Cynarina lacrymalis (gallery)
Cynarina lacrymalis
Cat's Eye Coral


©Anne: Cynarina lacrymalis about 5 cm diameter on reef slope between Bird and South Islands, Lizard Island group.

©Zoe Richards (Australian Museum): Cynarina lacrymalis at Lizard Island, Queensland

©David Witherall and Sam Burke: Cat's Eye Coral, Cynarina lacrymalis, Upolu Reef

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Anthozoa
Order Scleractinia
Family Lobophylliidae
Genus Cynarina
Species Cynarina lacrymalis
Status near threatened
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Colours

                   

Distinguishing features

Circular or oval with a single central mouth, can be cemeted to the reef or free living. Soft translucent tissue is inflated during the day with blade-like, toothed primary septo-costae are clearly visible underneath. Tentacles extended only at night. Colour variable, often greens and browns (Corals of the World Fact Sheet, accessed 19 June 2016).

Size

  • Averaging 5 cm (Diameter)

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Web resources

References

  • Fisk, D.A. (1983). Free-living corals: distributions according to plant cover, sediments, hydrodynamics, depth and biological factors, Marine Biology, 74: 287-294. LIRS catalog number 107.