Cupcorals

Within the caryophylliids, the exclusively azooxanthellate genus Caryophyllia, is common worldwide and consists of 66 Recent valid species, being the most diverse Recent genus of azooxanthellate corals. All representatives of this genus are solitary, including forms firmly attached to the substrate, such as Caryophyllia berteriana Duchassaing, 1870, and others that detach at an early stage, such as Caryophyllia ambrosia Alcock, 1898, to continue a free life form on soft bottoms (sand or mud). Described by Lamarck (1801), the genus Caryophyllia accommodates the species characterized primarily by having a cylindrical, trochoid, or ceratoid corallum, if attached, or a cornute corallum if free; a circular to compressed calice; a variable septal symmetry, but hexameral symmetry with four cycles of septa being most common (Cairns, 1991); having one crown of pali before penultimate or rarely antipenultimate cycle of septa; and having a fascicular columella.

An identification key for all Recent Caryophyllia species can be found in: URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14772000903571088

Diagnosis. –Corallum soitary, attached or free: if attached, corallum cylindrical, trochoid, or ceratoid; if free, corallum usually cornute. Calice circular, elliptical, or compressed; thecal edge spines present on species having compressed coralla. Septal symmetry variable, but hexameral symmetry with four cycles of septa most common (Cairns, 1991). One crown of pali present before penultimate or rarely the antipenultimate cycle of septa. Columella fascicular, composed of several twisted laths. Exclusively azooxanthellate and common in deep water. There are two subgenus within the Caryophyllia: 1) Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) Lamarck, 1816; and 2) Caryophyllia (Acanthocyathus) Milne Edward & Haime, 1848

Caryophyllia is a genus of solitary corals in the family Caryophylliidae. Members of this genus are azooxanthellate (do not contain symbiotic algae) and are found in the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea at depths down to 2,670 metres (8,760 ft).

azooxanthellate

0-2670 m

Corallum solitary, subcylindrical to turbinate, fixed or free; septotheca usually strongly costate, sometimes transversely ridged; pali in one crown opposite penultimate septal cycle (usually S3), occasionally antepenultimate septal cycle; columella fascicular; no endotheca.

Known from seamounts and knolls