INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY - H. I. Shcherbak - 2008

KINGDOM MULTICELLULAR ANIMALS (METAZOA)

SUBKINGDOM TRUE MULTICELLULAR ANIMALS (EUMETAZOA)

SECTION DIPLOBLASTICA, OR RADIATA

PHYLUM CNIDARIA, OR COELENTERATA

SUBPHYLUM ANTHOZOA

CLASS ANTIPATHARIA (BLACK CORALS)

A small group of corals that form exquisite feathery, fan-shaped, arborescent, or whip-like colonies (Fig. 101). Of the 120 known species of antipatharians, about 100 inhabit shallow waters of tropical and subtropical oceanic regions.

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a b

Fig. 101. Antipatharians (after Naumov et al.): a - arrangement of polyps on colony branches; b - Structure of a polyp:

1 - tentacles; 2 - oral disc; 3 - mucous threads with food particles

They possess an exclusively horny Axial Skeleton. The surface of the skeleton is covered with numerous spine-like projections that occasionally reach a considerable height.

The polyps are small, with six short, thick tentacles. The Pharynx bears two siphonoglyphs, and the gastral cavity contains six primary and four to six secondary septa. Antipatharians are of commercial value; their hard horny skeleton (black coral) is widely used in the jewelry industry.