TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Fungiidae
Genus/species: Fungia sp.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Hexacoral Genus noted for short, tapering tentacles and a very large mouth opening. The structure is home to a single polyp which sits in a calcareous cup, the corallite. Many septae stretch from the central mouth to sides of the polyp. Usually the form is nearly circular.
This specimen has its tentacles retracted.
Diameter up to 28 cm (11 inches
DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and east Africa, west to Hawaii in tropical and subtropical latitudes. Found among other coral, rubble, or on sand.
DIET IN THE WILD: Plankton, jellies (using nematocysts), proteins (using sticky cilia)
REPRODUCTION: Fungia corals can reproduce sexually or asexually. During sexual reproduction, eggs and sperm are released into the water where the egg is fertilised and develops into larvae. Juvenile Fungia are attached, but become free-living with age, Budding and fragmentation.also can occur.
This specimen has its tentacles retracted.
CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)
REMARKS: Rather than forming colonies like most corals, Fungia corals are usually solitary and free-living. Because they are unattached, Fungia can be easily moved by waves, and so are most often found in protected places, often at depths where wave action is reduced.
By inflating the body cavity, mushroom corals are able to upright themselves after being overturned. They will travel by inflating their tissue and using current to move.
When Fungi are in immediate contact with other hard corals, they secrete a mucus that can damage coral tissues and prevents the over growth of these neighbouring corals.
Mushroom coral skeleton below
References
California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Water is life Color on the Reef 2017
Aquarium Corals E H Borneman TFH Publications 2001 page253-257
Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/5063580569/in/album-72157659465376212/
Ron’s WordPress shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1Lb
Arkive www.arkive.org/mushroom-corals/fungia-spp/
Animal World animal-world.com/Aquarium-Coral-Reefs/Plate-Coral
Ron's Critter of the Day 