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.

Xenia sp.

Written by Tim Wijgerde

Taxonomy:

Xenia sp. (Lamarck, 1816)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Cnidaria

Class: Anthozoa

Subclass: Octocorallia

Order: Alcyonacea

Family: Xeniidae

Genus: Xenia

Species: umbellata

Xenia sp., possibly X. umbellata. This genus is ahermatypic and zooxanthellate, and is found throughout the Indo-Pacific. These corals remain enigmatic to aquarists due to contrasting aquaculture results. Species from this genus seem to have rudimentary oral pores, which are fully closed. This may be an explanation for the pulsating phenomenon of Xenia polyps. By pulsating, especially when not exposed to strong water currents, the polyps decrease their surface boundary layer (SBL). This enhances gas exchange, nutrient uptake and waste removal. Xenia sp. seem to thrive in slightly eutrophic aquaria which receive ample feeding. This may be due to significant uptake of DOC, such as amino acids.

Author:

Tim Wijgerde

References:

www.eol.org

Rinkevich, B., pers. comm.

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Zooplankton feeding by corals underestimated

Octocorals found to be reef builders

Flatworms compete with corals for zooplankton

Small polyps do capture zooplankton