- Source: Heterocyathus
Heterocyathus is a genus of coral of the family Caryophylliidae.
Species
Heterocyathus aequicostatus Milne-Edwards and Haime, 1848 (type species)
Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus delicatus Sakakura, 1935
Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus parasiticus Semper, 1872
Heterocyathus alternatus Verrill, 1865
Heterocyathus antoniae Reyes, Santodomingo & Cairns, 2009
Heterocyathus hemisphaericus Gray, 1849
Heterocyathus sulcatus (Verrill, 1866)
Heterocyathus cochlea (Spengler, 1781)
Heterocyathus eupsammides Gray, 1849
Heterocyathus hemisphericus Gray, 1849
Heterocyathus heterocostatus Harrison, 1911
Heterocyathus incrustans (Dennant, 1906)
Heterocyathus japonicus (Verrill, 1866)
Heterocyathus lamellosus (Verrill, 1865)
Heterocyathus mai Cheng, 1971
Heterocyathus oblongatus Rehberg, 1892
Heterocyathus parasiticus Semper, 1872
Heterocyathus philippensis Semper, 1872
Heterocyathus philippinensis Semper, 1872
Heterocyathus pulchellus Rehberg, 1892
Heterocyathus roussaeanus Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1848
Heterocyathus rousseaui (Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1857)
Heterocyathus woodmasoni Alcock, 1893
Ecology
'Mobility of this genus is facultative which means they have the capacity to move around but not always will they exhibit it. Heterocyathus could have zooxanthellae in shallow water, however, they may live on without symbiotic algae at deeper depths. The Heterocyathus species is sometimes hermatypic or a hard coral primarily responsible for reef-building. In the case of Heterocyathus, reefs are made as the species produces layers of calcium carbonate beneath their bodies. They show epifaunal characteristics and hence are seen in deeper areas of water. They are microcarnivores feeding on tiny organisms. A species of hermit crabs, Diogenidae Heteropsammia, allows for the Heterocyathus the ability to roam around the seafloor.
Symbiotic Relationships
Heterocyathus has both a mutualism and parasitism relationship with another organism called the Albian scleractinian- sipunculan (commonly known as a type of worm). The coral benefits since the worm offers nutrients and food, meanwhile the worm benefits since the coral is a form of protection or shelter. However, if the shell of the coral outgrows the worm, the worm benefits by gaining total protection, thus making a parasitism relationship
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184311