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Angel Chiriboga
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These exclusively aquatic, relatively simple organisms include corals, gorgonians, anemones, hydras, and medusas.
They are principally characterized by the presence of tentacles with a venomous substance used to paralyze and capture prey. They can be either sessile, i.e., immobile adults, or free-living, such as medusas.
This group represents species that occur in the Galapagos Marine Reserve and includes 44 corals, 22 of which are endemic or native. For gorgonians and sea fans, 12 species are reported of which 8 are endemic or native to Galapagos.
Authors: Angel Chiriboga, Diego Ruiz, Nathalia Tirado, Stuart Banks.
Other Contributors: Graham Edgar, Peter Glynn, Cleveland Hickman, Fernando Pinillos, James Raimer, Fernando Rivera, Mariana Vera, Frauke Ziemmeck.
Names of taxa included: 169 total (133 accepted, 26 unidentified taxon, 4 doubtful, 6 problematic).
Origin of the taxa included: 14 endemic, 54 indigenous, 5 questionable endemic.
Click on orders and families to expand the checklist; click on species names to navigate to species page.
Domain Eukaryota
Kingdom Animalia
Division Cnidaria
Class Anthozoa
Order Actiniaria
Suborder Nyantheae
Superfamily Acontiaria
Family Aiptasiidae
Genus Aiptasia
Aiptasia pulchella Carlgren, 1943
Family Hormathiidae
Genus Calliactis
Calliactis polypus (Forskål, 1775)
Family Isophelliidae
Genus Telmatactis
Telmatactis panamensis (Verrill, 1869)
Superfamily Endomyaria
Family Actiniidae
Genus Actinostella
Actinostella cf. bradleyi (Verrill, 1869)
Genus Anthopleura
Anthopleura dowii Verrill, 1869
Anthopleura mariscali Daly & Fautin, 2004
Anthopleura nigrescens (Verrill, 1928)
Genus Bunodactis
Bunodactis mexicana Carlgren, 1951
Genus Bunodosoma
Bunodosoma grandis (Verrill, 1869)
Genus Phymactis
Phymactis papillosa (Lesson, 1830)
Superfamily Mesomyaria
Family Actinostolidae
Genus Antiparactis
Antiparactis cf. lineolatus (Couthouy, 1846)
Order Alcyonacea
Family Nephtheidae
Genus Dendronephthya
Suborder Holaxonia
Family Gorgoniidae
Genus Adelogorgia
Adelogorgia telones Bayer, 1979
Genus Leptogorgia
Leptogorgia alba (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864)
Genus Pacifigorgia
Pacifigorgia dampieri Williams & Breedy, 2004
Pacifigorgia darwinii (Hickson, 1928)
Pacifigorgia rubripunctata Williams & Breedy, 2004
Pacifigorgia symbiotica Williams & Breedy, 2004
Family Plexauridae
Genus Muricea
Muricea cf. fruticosa Verrill, 1869
Muricea formosa Verrill, 1869
Muricea galapagensis Deichmann, 1941
Genus Placogorgia
Genus Thesea
Order Antipatharia
Family Antipathidae
Genus Antipathes
Antipathes galapagensis Deichmann, 1941
Family Myriopathidae
Genus Myriopathes
Myriopathes panamensis (Verrill, 1869)
Order Ceriantharia
Suborder Spirularia
Family Botrucnidiferidae
Genus Botruanthus
Botruanthus benedeni (Torrey & Kleeberger, 1909)
Family Cerianthidae
Genus Pachycerianthus
Pachycerianthus fimbriatus McMurrich, 1910
Order Pennatulacea
Suborder Sessiliflorae
Family Veretillidae
Genus Cavernulina
Cavernulina darwini (Hickson, 1921)
Suborder Subsessiliflorae
Family Pennatulidae
Genus Ptilosarcus
Ptilosarcus undulatus (Verrill, 1865)
Family Virgulariidae
Genus Scytalium
Genus Virgularia
Virgularia galapagensis Hickson 1930
Order Scleractinia
Family Acroporidae
Genus Acropora
Acropora crassa (Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1860)
Family Agariciidae
Genus Gardineroseris
Gardineroseris planulata (Dana, 1846)
Genus Leptoseris
Leptoseris scabra Vaughan, 1907
Genus Pavona
Pavona chiriquiensis Glyn, Mate & Stemann, 2001
Pavona clavus (Dana, 1846)
Pavona clivosa Verrill
Pavona galapagensis Lamarck, 1801
Pavona gigantea Verril, 1869
Pavona maldivensis (Gardiner, 1905)
Pavona varians Verrill, 1864
Family Astrocoeniidae
Genus Madracis
Madracis cf. pharensis (Heller, 1868)
Family Caryophylliidae
Genus Caryophyllia
Caryophyllia diomedeae Marenzeller, 1904
Genus Cladocora
Cladocora arbuscula Lesueur, 1821
Cladocora debilis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849
Cladocora pacifica Cairns, 1991
Genus Crispatotrochus
Crispatotrochus avis (Durham & Barnard, 1952)
Crispatotrochus galapagensis Cairns, 1991
Genus Desmophyllum
Desmophyllum dianthus (Esper, 1794)
Genus Paracyathus
Paracyathus humilis Verrill, 1870
Genus Phyllangia
Phyllangia consagensis (Durham & Barnard, 1952)
Family Dendrophylliidae
Genus Cladopsammia
Cladopsammia eguchii (Wells, 1982)
Cladopsammia gracilis (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848)
Genus Enallopsammia
Enallopsammia rostrata (Pourtalès, 1878)
Genus Endopachys
Endopachys grayi Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848
Genus Endopsammia
Endopsammia pourtalesi (Durham & Barnard, 1952)
Genus Tubastraea
Tubastraea coccinea Lesson, 1829
Tubastraea faulkneri Wells, 1982
Tubastraea floreana Wells, 1982
Tubastraea tagusensis Wells, 1982
Tubastraea tenuilamellosa Milne Edwards & Haime 1848
Family Flabellidae
Genus Flabellum
Flabellum daphnense Durham & Barnard, 1952
Flabellum galapagense Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848
Genus Javania
Javania cailleti (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864)
Javania pseudoalabastra Zibrowius, 1974
Family Fungiidae
Genus Cycloseris
Cycloseris curvata (Hoeksema, 1989)
Cycloseris elegans Verrill, 1870
Cycloseris mexicana Durham, 1947
Genus Fungia
Fungia distorta Michelin, 1842
Family Oculinidae
Family Pocilloporidae
Genus Madracis
Madracis asperula Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849
Genus Pocillopora
Pocillopora capitata Verrill, 1864
Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Pocillopora damicornis caespitosa
Pocillopora effusus Veron, 2002
Pocillopora elegans Dana, 1846
Pocillopora eydouxi Milne Edwards & Haime, 1860
Pocillopora inflata Glynn, 1999
Pocillopora ligulata Dana, 1846
Pocillopora meandrina Dana, 1846
Pocillopora verrucosa (Ellis & Solander, 1786)
Pocillopora woodjonesi Vaughan, 1918
Family Poritidae
Family Rhizangiidae
Genus Oulangia
Oulangia bradleyi (Verrill, 1866)
Family Siderastreidae
Genus Psammocora
Psammocora brighami (Vaughan)
Psammocora profundacella Gardiner, 1898
Psammocora stellata Verrill, 1866
Psammocora superficialis Gardiner, 1898
Family Turbinoliidae
Genus Pseudocyathoceras
Pseudocyathoceras avis (Durham & Barnard, 1952)
Genus Sphenotrochus
Sphenotrochus hancocki Durham & Barnard, 1952
Order Zoanthidae
Suborder Brachycnemina
Family Sphenopidae
Family Zoanthidae
Genus Zoanthus
Zoanthus cf. sansibaricus Carlgren, 1900
Class Hydrozoa
Order Anthoathecata
Suborder Capitata
Family Cladonematidae
Genus Cladonema
Family Corynidae
Genus Coryne
Coryne eximia Allman, 1859
Genus Sarsia
Family Milleporidae
Genus Millepora
Millepora intricata Edwards & Haime, 1860
Family Pennariidae
Genus Pennaria
Pennaria disticha (Goldfuss, 1820)
Family Tubulariidae
Family Zancleidae
Genus Zanclea
Suborder Filifera
Family Cytaeididae
Genus Cytaeis
Family Eudendriidae
Genus Eudendrium
Eudendrium carneum Clarke, 1882
Family Stylasteridae
Genus Crypthelia
Crypthelia cymas Cairns, 1986
Crypthelia dactylopoma Cairns, 1986
Crypthelia eueides Cairns, 1986
Crypthelia glebulenta Cairns, 1986
Crypthelia lacunosa Cairns, 1986
Genus Lepidotheca
Lepidotheca macropora Cairns, 1986
Genus Stenohelia
Stenohelia concinna Boschma, 1964
Genus Stylaster
Stylaster divergens Marenzeller, 1904
Stylaster galapagensis Cairns, 1986
Stylaster marenzelleri Cairns, 1986
Order Leptothecata
Suborder Conica
Family Aequoreidae
Genus Aequorea
Aequorea cf. coerulescens (Brandt, 1838)
Family Aglaopheniidae
Genus Macrorhynchia
Macrorhynchia philippina Kirchenpauer, 1872
Family Eirenidae
Genus Phialopsis
Family Haleciidae
Genus Nemalecium
Nemalecium lighti (Hargitt, 1924)
Family Halopterididae
Genus Monostaechas
Monostaechas quadridens (McCrady, 1859)
Family Kirchenpaueriidae
Genus Kirchenpaueria
Kirchenpaueria pinnata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family Plumulariidae
Genus Plumularia
Plumularia floridana Nutting, 1900
Family Sertulariidae
Genus Sertularella
Sertularella ampullacea Fraser, 1938
Genus Tridentata
Tridentata turbinata (Lamouroux, 1816)
Suborder Proboscoida
Family Campanulariidae
Genus Clytia
Clytia gregaria L. Agassiz, 1862
Genus Phialidium
Order Narcomedusae
Family Aeginidae
Genus Solmundella
Solmundella bitentaculata Quoy & Gaimard, 1833
Family Cuninidae
Genus Cunina
Order Siphonophorae
Family Physaliidae
Genus Physalia
Physalia physalis Linnaeus, 1758
Suborder Calycophorae
Family Abylidae
Genus Abylopsis
Genus Ceratocymba
Family Diphyidae
Family Hyppopodiidae
Genus Vogtia
Suborder Cystonectae
Family Rhizophysidae
Genus Rhizophysa
Suborder Physonectae
Family Agalmatidae
Family Physophoridae
Genus Physophora
Order Tachymedusae
Family Geryoniidae
Genus Liriope
Class Syphozoa
Order Coronatae
Family Atollidae
Genus Atolla
Order Semaeostomeae
Family Ulmaridae
Subfamily Aureliinae
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