Soft Corals

Anthozoa

Anthozoa is a class of marine invertebrates that consists of sea anemones, stony corals, and soft corals. The adult anthozoans are typically attached to the seabed, while their larvae disperse as part of the plankton. The main unit of the adult anthozoan is the polyp, which has a cylindrical column topped by a disc with a central mouth surrounded by tentacles. undefined are mostly solitary, while most corals are colonial, formed by the budding of new polyps from an original individual. Colonies are strengthened by calcium carbonate and take various forms.

Anthozoa is part of the phylum Cnidaria, which also includes jellyfish, box jellies, and parasitic Myxozoa and Polypodiozoa. The two main subclasses of Anthozoa are Hexacorallia, which includes stony corals, sea anemones, and zoanthids, and Octocorallia, which includes soft corals and gorgonians. The smaller subclass, Ceriantharia, consists of tube-dwelling anemones. Anthozoans are carnivores and catch prey with their tentacles. Some species also rely on photosynthetic algae that live within their tissues.

Unlike other members of the phylum, anthozoans do not have a medusa stage in their development. They release sperm and eggs into the water, and the fertilized planula larvae form part of the plankton. When fully developed, the larvae settle on the seabed and transform into polyps. Some anthozoans can also reproduce asexually through budding or by breaking into pieces.

The name "Anthozoa" derives from the Greek words for "flower" and "animals," referring to the floral appearance of their polyp stage. Anthozoans are exclusively marine and include various species of sea anemones, stony corals, soft corals, sea pens, sea fans, and sea pansies. They range in size from small individuals to large colonies. They exhibit a wide range of colors and forms and play a crucial role in building and enhancing reef