Calcareous corals

Calcareous corals
Paragorgia sp.
Systematics
Trunk : Cnidarians (Cnidaria) Class : Flower animals (anthozoa) Subclass : Octocorallia Order : Soft corals (Alcyonacea) Subordination : Calcareous corals
Scientific name
Scleraxonia
Studer , 1887

The Kalkachsenkorals (Scleraxonia) are a group of gorgonian-like corals, in which the central axis ( medulla) consists of more or less fused sclerites . Unlike the gorgonians of the suborders Calcaxonia and Holaxonia, it is not continuously reinforced by the horn-like gorgonin . However, there are species in which the sclerites form individual nodes called nodes that are flexibly connected by gorgonine. This gives the coral more mobility.

Due to their diversity and the not proven relationship, the Kalkachsenkorals no longer have the status of a subordination, but are merely referred to as a group. All soft corals similar to gorgonians that do not belong to the sub-orders Calcaxonia and Holaxonia were classified among the Kalkachsenkorals. They are probably polyphyletic .

Familys

• Anthothelidae Broch, 1916
• Briareidae Gray, 1859
• Coralliidae
• Melithaeidae
• Paragorgiidae
• Parisididae
• Subergorgiidae

The limestone corals include the precious coral ( Corallium rubrum ) from the Mediterranean Sea and the briareum, which grows like crusts in many marine aquariums .

literature

• SA Fosså, & AJ Nilsen: Coral Reef Aquarium , Volume 4, Birgit Schmettkamp Verlag, Bornheim, ISBN 3-928819-05-4
• K. Fabricius & P. ​​Alderslade: Soft Corals and Sea Fans . 2001, Australian Institute of Marine Science. ISBN 0-642-322104