Wikipedia

List of marine cnidarians of South Africa

The list of marine cnidarians of South Africa is a list of saltwater species that form a part of the cnidarian (Phylum Cnidaria) fauna of South Africa. This list does not include the freshwater cnidarians. The list follows the SANBI listing on iNaturalist, and does not always agree with WoRMS for distribution.

Map of the Southern African coastline showing some of the landmarks referred to in species range statements

Cnidaria (/nɪˈdɛəriə, naɪ-/ nih-DAIR-ee-ə, NY-) is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found both in fresh water and marine environments (predominantly the latter), including jellyfish, hydroids, sea anemones, corals and some of the smallest marine parasites. Their distinguishing features are a decentralized nervous system distributed throughout a gelatinous body and the presence of cnidocytes or cnidoblasts, specialized cells with ejectable flagella used mainly for envenomation and capturing prey. Their bodies consist of mesoglea, a non-living, jelly-like substance, sandwiched between two layers of epithelium that are mostly one cell thick. Cnidarians are also some of the only animals that can reproduce both sexually and asexually.

Cnidarians mostly have two basic body forms: swimming medusae and sessile polyps, both of which are radially symmetrical with mouths surrounded by tentacles that bear cnidocytes, which are specialized stinging cells used to capture prey. Both forms have a single orifice and body cavity that are used for digestion and respiration. Many cnidarian species produce colonies that are single organisms composed of medusa-like or polyp-like zooids, or both (hence they are trimorphic). Cnidarians' activities are coordinated by a decentralized nerve net and simple receptors. Cnidarians also have rhopalia, which are involved in gravity sensing and sometimes chemoreception. Several free-swimming species of Cubozoa and Scyphozoa possess balance-sensing statocysts, and some have simple eyes. Not all cnidarians reproduce sexually, but many species have complex life cycles of asexual polyp stages and sexual medusae stages. Some, however, omit either the polyp or the medusa stage, and the parasitic classes evolved to have neither form.

Cnidarians were formerly grouped with ctenophores, also known as comb jellies, in the phylum Coelenterata, but increasing awareness of their differences caused them to be placed in separate phyla. Cnidarians are classified into four main groups: the almost wholly sessile Anthozoa (sea anemones, corals, sea pens); swimming Scyphozoa (jellyfish); Cubozoa (box jellies); and Hydrozoa (a diverse group that includes all the freshwater cnidarians as well as many marine forms, and which has both sessile members, such as Hydra, and colonial swimmers (such as the Portuguese man o' war)). Staurozoa have recently been recognised as a class in their own right rather than a sub-group of Scyphozoa, and the highly derived parasitic Myxozoa and Polypodiozoa were firmly recognized as cnidarians only in 2007.

Most cnidarians prey on organisms ranging in size from plankton to animals several times larger than themselves, but many obtain much of their nutrition from symbiotic dinoflagellates, and a few are parasites. Many are preyed on by other animals including starfish, sea slugs, fish, turtles, and even other cnidarians. Many scleractinian corals—which form the structural foundation for coral reefs—possess polyps that are filled with symbiotic photo-synthetic zooxanthellae. While reef-forming corals are almost entirely restricted to warm and shallow marine waters, other cnidarians can be found at great depths, in polar regions, and in freshwater.

Cnidarians are a very ancient phylum, with fossils having been found in rocks formed about 580 million years ago during the Ediacaran period, preceding the Cambrian Explosion. Other fossils show that corals may have been present shortly before 490 million years ago and diversified a few million years later. Molecular clock analysis of mitochondrial genes suggests an even older age for the crown group of cnidarians, estimated around 741 million years ago, almost 200 million years before the Cambrian period, as well as before any fossils. Recent phylogenetic analyses support monophyly of cnidarians, as well as the position of cnidarians as the sister group of bilaterians. (Full article...)

Class Anthozoa, subclass Hexacorallia

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Further information: Anthozoa and Hexacorallia

Order Actiniaria, suborder Endocoelantheae

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Further information: Actiniaria Endocoelantheae

Family Halcuriidae

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Further information: Halcuriidae

Suborder Nynantheae, infraorder Athenaria

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Further information: Nynantheae and Athenaria

Family Edwardsiidae

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Further information: Edwardsiidae

Family Halcampidae

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Further information: Halcampidae

Family Haloclavidae

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Further information: Haloclavidae

Infraorder Thenaria

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Further information: Thenaria

Superfamily Acontiaria, family Acontiophoridae

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Further information: Acontiaria and Acontiophoridae

Family Aiptasiidae

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Further information: Aiptasiidae

Family Hormathiidae

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Further information: Hormathiidae

Family Isophellidae

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Further information: Isophellidae

Family Nemanthidae

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Further information: Nemanthidae

Family Sagartiidae

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Further information: Sagartiidae

Superfamily Endomyaria, family Actiniidae

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Family Actinodendronidae

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Family Aliciidae

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Family Condylanthidae

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Family Liponematidae

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Family Stichodactylidae

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Superfamily Mesomyaria, family Actinostolidae

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Suborder Ptychodacteae

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Family Preactiidae

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  • Preactis millardae England in England & Robson, 1984 – Walking anemone, hedgehog anemone, sock anemone[1]

Superfamily Actiniaria incertae sedis, family Metridiidae

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Order Antipatharia

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Family Antipathidae

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Order Ceriantharia, suborder Spirularia

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Family Cerianthidae

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Order Corallimorpharia

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Family Corallimorphidae

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Family Discosomatidae

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Order Scleractinia

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Family Acroporidae

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Family Agariciidae

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Family Caryophylliidae

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Family Coscinaraeidae

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Family Dendrophylliidae

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Family Euphylliidae

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Family Fungiidae

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Family Lobophylliidae

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Family Merulinidae

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Family Mussidae, subfamily Faviinae

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  • Favia spp. – False honeycomb corals[1]

Family Plesiastreidae

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Family Pocilloporidae

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Family Poritidae

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Family Psammocoridae

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Scleractinia incertae sedis

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Scleractinia incertae sedis

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Order Zoantharia, suborder Brachycnemina

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Family Sphenopidae

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Family Zoanthidae

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Suborder Macrocnemina

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Family Parazoanthidae

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Subclass Octocorallia

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Order Alcyonacea, suborder Alcyoniina

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Family Alcyoniidae

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Family Nephtheidae

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Family Nidaliidae

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Family Parasphaerascleridae

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Family Xeniidae

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Order Calcaxonia

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Family Chrysogorgiidae

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Family Ellisellidae

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Family Isididae

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Family Primnoidae

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Subrder Holaxonia

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Family Acanthogorgiidae

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Family Gorgoniidae

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Family Keroeididae

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Family Plexauridae

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Suborder Scleraxonia

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Family Anthothelidae

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Subfamily Melithaeinae

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Suborder Stolonifera

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Family Clavulariidae

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Family Tubiporidae

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Order Pennatulacea

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Family Chunellidae

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Family Echinoptilidae

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Family Scleroptilidae

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Suborder Sessiliflorae

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Family Anthoptilidae

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Family Funiculinidae

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Family Kophobelemnidae

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Family Protoptilidae

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Family Umbellulidae

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Family Veretillidae

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suborder Subsessiliflorae

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Family Halipteridae

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Family Pennatulidae

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Family Virgulariidae

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Class Cubozoa

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Order Carybdeida

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Family Carybdeidae

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Family Tamoyidae

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Order Chirodropida

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Family Chirodropidae

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Family Chiropsalmidae

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Class Hydrozoa, subclass Hydroidolina

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Order Anthoathecata, suborder Aplanulata

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Family Candelabridae

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Family Corymorphidae

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Family Tubulariidae

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Suborder Capitata

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Family Asyncorynidae

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Family Cladocorynidae

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Family Family Cladonematidae

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Family Corynidae

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Family Halimedusidae

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Family Milleporidae

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Family Moerisiidae

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Family Pennariidae

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Family Porpitidae

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Family Solanderiidae

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Family Sphaerocorynidae

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Family Teissieridae

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Family Zancleidae

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Family Zancleopsidae

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Capitata incertae sedis

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Capitata incertae sedis

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Capitata incertae sedis

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Suborder Filifera

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Family Bougainvilliidae

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Family Bythotiaridae

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Family Cytaeididae

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Family Eudendriidae

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Family Hydractiniidae

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Family Hydrichthyidae

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Family Magapiidae

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Family Oceaniidae

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Family Pandeidae

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Family Proboscidactylidae

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Family Rathkeidae

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Family Stylasteridae

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Order Leptothecata

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Further information: Leptothecata

Family Aequoreidae

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Further information: Aequoreidae

Family Blackfordiidae

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Further information: Blackfordiidae

Family Campanulinidae

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Further information: Campanulinidae

Family Campanulariidae

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Further information: Campanulariidae

Family Eirenidae

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Further information: Eirenidae

Family Hebellidae

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Family Laodiceidae

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Family Lineolariidae

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Family Lovenellidae

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Family Malagazziidae

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Family Mitrocomidae

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Family Phialellidae

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Family Sertulariidae

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Family Syntheciidae

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Family Thyroscyphidae

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Family Tiarannidae

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Family Tiaropsidae

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Superfamily Plumularioidea, family Aglaopheniidae

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Family Haleciidae

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Family Halopterididae

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Family Kirchenpaueriidae

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Family Lafoeidae

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Family Plumulariidae

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Order Siphonophorae, suborder Calycophorae

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Family Abylidae, subfamily Abylinae

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Subfamily Abylopsinae
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Family Clausophyidae

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Family Diphyidae, subfamily Diphyinae

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Subfamily Sulculeolariinae
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Family Hippopodiidae

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Family Prayidae, subfamily Amphicaryoninae

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Subfamily Nectopyramidinae
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Subfamily Prayinae
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Family Sphaeronectidae

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Suborder Cystonectae

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Family Physaliidae

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Family Rhizophysidae

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Suborder Physonectae

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Family Agalmatidae

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Family Apolemiidae

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Family Forskaliidae

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Family Physophoridae

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Family Pyrostephidae

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Subclass Trachylinae

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Order Limnomedusae

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Family Olindiidae

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Order Narcomedusae

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Family Aeginidae

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Family Cuninidae

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Family Solmarisidae

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Order Trachymedusae

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Family Geryoniidae

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Family Halicreatidae

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Family Rhopalonematidae

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Class Scyphozoa

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Order Coronatae

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Family Atollidae

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Family Nausithoidae

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Family Periphyllidae

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Order Carybdeida

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Family Carybdeidae

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Order Rhizostomeae, suborder Kolpophorae

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Family Cassiopeidae

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Family Cepheidae

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Suborder Daktyliophorae

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Familu Catostylidae

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Family Rhizostomatidae

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Order Semaeostomeae

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Family Cyaneidae

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Family Pelagiidae

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Family Ulmaridae

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Class Staurozoa

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Order Stauromedusae, suborder Cleistocarpida

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Family Depastridae

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Family Lipkeidae

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv Branch, G.M.; Branch, M.L.; Griffiths, C.L.; Beckley, L.E. (2010). Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa (2nd ed.). Cape Town: Struik Nature. ISBN 978 1 77007 772 0.
  2. ^ a b c d King, Dennis. 1996. Reef fishes and corals: East coast of southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town. ISBN 1 86825 981 1
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch Schleyer 2008, To be cited
  4. ^ a b Schleyer MH, Celliers L (2003) Biodiversity on the marginal coral reefs of South Africa: What does the future hold? Zool Ver 345:387–400
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak Williams, Gary C. (1992). "The Alcyonacea of Southern Africa. Stoloniferous Octocorals and Soft Corals (Coelenterata, Anthozoa)". Annals of the South African Museum. 100 (3). ISSN 0303-2515.
  6. ^ McFadden, C.S. & L.P. van Ofwegen 2012. A revision of the soft coral genus, Eunephthya Verrill, 1869 (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Nephtheidae), with a description of four new species from South Africa. Zootaxa 3485: 1-25
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba Williams, Gary C. (July 1992). "The Alcyonacea of Southern Africa. Gorgonian Octocorals (Coelenterata. Anthozoa)". Annals of the South African Museum. 101 (8). ISSN 0303-2515.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Williams, Gary C. (1990). "The Pennatulacea of Southern Africa (Coelentera, Anthozoa)". Annals of the South African Museum. 99 (4). ISSN 0303-2515.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv dw dx dy dz ea eb ec ed ee ef eg eh ei ej ek el em en eo ep eq er es et eu ev ew ex ey ez fa fb fc fd fe ff fg fh fi fj fk fl fm fn fo fp fq fr fs ft fu fv fw fx fy fz ga gb gc gd ge gf gg gh gi gj gk gl gm gn go gp gq gr gs gt gu gv gw gx gy gz ha hb hc hd he hf hg hh hi hj hk hl hm hn ho hp hq hr hs ht hu hv hw hx Millard, N.A.H. (December 1975). "Monograph on the Hydroida of South Africa". Annals of the South African Museum. 68. ISSN 0303-2515.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gibbons, Mark J. An introduction to the Zooplankton of the Benguela Current Region. ISBN 0 620 24225 6.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Jones, Georgina (2008). A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. Cape Town: SURG. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9.
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