Mediterranean encrusting coral [Schizoculina fissipara]
Description
Schizoculina fissipara is an encrusting coral species endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. It is commonly known as Mediterranean encrusting coral. This species is characterized by small, encrusting colonies that form irregular, interconnected networks of white or pale pink polyps. The colonies usually grow on rocky substrates, often in shaded or semi-shaded locations. Schizoculina fissipara is a suspension feeder, capturing plankton and other small organisms from the water column.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Jellyfish, Sea Anemones, and Relatives
Cnidaria
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Sea Anemones and Corals
Anthozoa
|
| Order |
Stony Corals
Scleractinia
|
| Family |
Oculinidae
Oculinidae
|
| Genus |
Schizoculina
Schizoculina
|