Dr. Odalisca Breedy, Panama
Info
Our special thanks for the great photo of the horn coral Leptogorgia taboguillae go to Dr. Odalisca Breedy (Panama) and Dr. Graham Edgar (Tasmania), who took the picture,
Leptogorgia taboguillae is an azooxanthellate horn coral that only occurs in a few places in the south-east Pacific.
The coral is dependent on catching small plankton to meet its energy requirements, as it has not formed a symbiosis with photosynthetically active zooxanthellae.
Leptogorgia taboguillae resembles some Caribbean species of Pseudopterogorgia in external morphology, but differs markedly from the other species, which have pinnate branching, prominent polyp mounds and thick branches.
Leptogorgia taboguillae is easily recognized by its dark purple color, flat branches and the conspicuous ring of orange sclerites at the base of the polyp tentacles.
Synonyms:
Euplexaura taboguillae Hickson, 1928
Leptogorgia taboguilla (Hickson, 1928)
Leptogorgia taboguillae is an azooxanthellate horn coral that only occurs in a few places in the south-east Pacific.
The coral is dependent on catching small plankton to meet its energy requirements, as it has not formed a symbiosis with photosynthetically active zooxanthellae.
Leptogorgia taboguillae resembles some Caribbean species of Pseudopterogorgia in external morphology, but differs markedly from the other species, which have pinnate branching, prominent polyp mounds and thick branches.
Leptogorgia taboguillae is easily recognized by its dark purple color, flat branches and the conspicuous ring of orange sclerites at the base of the polyp tentacles.
Synonyms:
Euplexaura taboguillae Hickson, 1928
Leptogorgia taboguilla (Hickson, 1928)
