Zooplankton feeding by corals underestimated

Research by marine biologists from Wageningen University has shown that feeding on zooplankton by scleractinian corals has been greatly underestimated.

Octocorals found to be reef builders

Scientists from Taiwan and Israel have found that octocorals are important reef builders. This exciting discovery makes us rethink the very nature of coral reefs.

Flatworms compete with corals for zooplankton

Epizoic coral flatworms have been found to compete with their coral host for zooplankton. This finding is in agreement with the theory that symbiotic coral flatworms are parasitic.

Small polyps do capture zooplankton

Small polyped stony corals are often believed to simply rely on strong lighting and dissolved nutrients. But even these corals capture significant amounts of plankton.

Acropora palmata

Written by Tim Wijgerde

Taxonomy:

Acropora palmata (Lamarck, 1816)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Cnidaria

Class: Anthozoa

Subclass: Hexacoralli

Order: Scleractinia

Family: Acroporidae

Genus: Acropora

Species: palmata

Swimming larvae of Acropora palmata (Staghorn Coral), an endangered Caribbean coral species. Coral larvae swim by beating cilia, which allows them to move around at about 2 mm per second. The oral end, which is where the mouth develops, is located at the posterior side of the larva.

These larvae have been acquired by fertilizing eggs and sperm, captured on the reef by SECORE-divers in August 2008. These larvae are subsequently transported to zoos and public aquaria all over the world, and will grow out to new colonies after settlement.

Author:

Dr. Iliana Baums

References:

RokAjaxSearch

Zooplankton feeding by corals underestimated

Octocorals found to be reef builders

Flatworms compete with corals for zooplankton

Small polyps do capture zooplankton