Описание
The elegance coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei) is a large-polyp stony (LPS) coral known for its flowing, anemone-like appearance and bright, contrasting coloration.
Scientific & Common Names
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Scientific Name: Catalaphyllia jardinei (originally described as Pectinia jardinei by William Saville-Kent in 1893)
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Family: Euphylliidae
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Common Names: Elegance coral, wonder coral, ridge coral, or elegant coral
Physical Description & Morphology
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Type of Coral: It is classified as a "hard coral" (LPS) because it builds a calcium carbonate skeleton, even though it has a massive, fleshy appearance.
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Skeleton Types:
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Cone Bottom: A singular coral sitting in an ice cream cone-like skeleton that narrows to a point.
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Flat Bottom / Wall-like: A rectangular or flat-walled skeleton broken off from a larger colony, which tends to grow larger and feature multiple mouths.
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Polyps and Tentacles: It features long, sweeping, anemone-like tentacles with sticky cells (nematocysts). The oral discs or mouths often display a distinctive "zebra" stripe pattern.
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Size: Colonies can grow up to 12 inches (approx. 30 cm) or more in length and width, with tentacles extending several inches further out.
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Colors:
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Body / Center: Shades of neon green, blue, purple, lime green, or gold.
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Tentacle Tips: Bright contrasting tips in pink, purple, blue, yellow, or orange.
Natural Habitat & Biology
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Region: Found in the western Pacific Ocean.
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Substrate Preference: It is typically a free-living coral that rests on muddy or sandy bottom substrates rather than attaching hard to live rock.
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Nutrition: It relies heavily on photosynthetic symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) housed in its tissues, and it also captures small prey or accepts direct feeding (such as mysis shrimp or small pellets)
