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Golden zoanthid

Parazoanthus swiftii

(Duchassaing de Fonbressin & Michelotti, 1860)

Golden zoanthid

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Summary

Saltwater. Zoanthids. This colonial zoanthid is symbiotic and grows in band-like rows, often winding around the branches of the host sponge.

To be confused with

- Maroon Sponge Zoanthid Bergia puertoricense
- Sponge Zoanthid Parazoanthus parasiticus

Characteristics

Size: 0,6 cm, max 0.7 cm.
Colour: Body brilliant gold to yellow; tentacles pale yellow.
Shape: The polyps look like small sea anemones. The oral disc is up to 0.6 cm in diameter and is fringed by up to 26 long and thinly tentacles.

Habitat environment and ecology

Inhabits coral reefs. Symbiotic on a wide variety of sponges, including the Brown tube sponge Agelas conifera, the Green finger sponge Lotrochota birotulata and Topsentia ophiraphidites (P. swifti on T. ophiraphidites). The zoanthids are toxic to fish and may discourage sponge-eating fishes from sampling their hosts; the distinctive color of the zoanthid on the sponges may serve to advertise their presence.

Distribution range

BES-eilanden: St. Eustatius.

Author

[Marion Haarsma, march 2016]

Literature

- Humann, P. (2001). Reef Creature Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas Author: Paul Humann, Publisher: New World Publications Pages: 4.


Commentaar

Golden zoanthid Golden zoanthid

Grafieken

Diensten

Weekdieren (EU-Habitatrichtlijn)

Mariene soorten en ecologie

Contact

Stichting ANEMOON
Postbus 29
2120 AA Bennebroek

anemoon@cistron.nl

06-11442009

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