Tubastraea megacorallita

(Yiu, Chung & Qiu, 2021)

Vernacular names
English : Bighead sun coral
French : Tubastrée à grosse tête

Classification
Class : Anthozoa
Order : Scleractinia
Family : Dendrophylliidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Polyps can grow up to 2 cm in diameter and up to 5 cm in length. Outside is usually light pink to orange, inside of polyp when tentacles are retracted is pink to bright red, tentacles are bright yellow. Colonies have no more than 12 polyps.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the Indo-Pacific area but its true range is unknown. It occurs around the Indo-Malayan archipelago where it is mostly collected. Lives in rocky habitats near coasts and reef edges, usually below 30 meters.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : NOT LISTED
CITES : Appendix II
Status : This species has yet to be assessed. It seems to be locally common but is collected for the aquarium trade. Vulnerable to habitat loss.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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