Danièle Heitz, Frankreich
Info
Two colonies of Bebryce cactus were discovered around Bagabag Island, about 62 KM northeast of Madang, on the north coast of Papua New Guinea, on a barrier reef wall in a depth range between 9 and 18 meters.
The coral has also been found on sandy sea beds, sometimes growing on sponges.
The colony of %lat is fan-shaped, the branches begin to branch from the base and are broadly pinnate, appearing at regular, wide intervals. The terminal branches are curved upwards and short.
The purple color of the coral is interesting, but it is not caused by zooxanthellae, %lat is azooxanthellate, although it lives in a very strongly light-flooded zone!
Bebryce cactus is an octocoral, as its polyps have 8 tentacles.
This is the only known Bebryce species in which the coenenchyma is covered by antler-like, spiny rosettes.
Visually, Bebryce cactus resembles its sister species Bebryce sulfurea, which lives in the Red Sea and is yellow in color.
Etymology:
The species name “cactus” refers to the spiny rosettes that cover the coral's coenenchym.
We would like to thank Danièle Heitz, France, for the first photo of this coral!
The coral has also been found on sandy sea beds, sometimes growing on sponges.
The colony of %lat is fan-shaped, the branches begin to branch from the base and are broadly pinnate, appearing at regular, wide intervals. The terminal branches are curved upwards and short.
The purple color of the coral is interesting, but it is not caused by zooxanthellae, %lat is azooxanthellate, although it lives in a very strongly light-flooded zone!
Bebryce cactus is an octocoral, as its polyps have 8 tentacles.
This is the only known Bebryce species in which the coenenchyma is covered by antler-like, spiny rosettes.
Visually, Bebryce cactus resembles its sister species Bebryce sulfurea, which lives in the Red Sea and is yellow in color.
Etymology:
The species name “cactus” refers to the spiny rosettes that cover the coral's coenenchym.
We would like to thank Danièle Heitz, France, for the first photo of this coral!
