Heliofungia actiniformis

Heliofungia actiniformis is a solitary species of mushroom coral, a large polyp stony coral in the familyFungiidae. This coral is found in shallow water in the Indo-Pacific region, as it is a zooxanthellate. H. actiniformis is a popular coral in the reef aquarium trade; wild populations are threatened by disease, climate change,^[3] and over-collection for the aquarium trade, and the species is considered vulnerable by the IUCN.

Although fixed to the substrate as a juvenile (being sessile), this coral becomes detached later and is free-living as an adult.^[4] It is circular or oval with a diameter of up to 20 centimetres (8 in) and height of 7 centimetres (3 in). The corallum (stony skeleton) is thick and solid. The septa (stony ridges) are in several orders. The early order septa are larger than later order ones and have more prominent, lobe-like or triangular teeth. All the septa are granulate, and continue to the underside of the corallum as fine ridges known as costae. There is an attachment scar in the centre of the underside. The polyp is thick and fleshy and has a single mouth surrounded by thick tentacles with knobs on the end. The tentacles are nearly always extended and superficially resembles a large sea anemone.^[4]

Heliofungia actiniformis is native to the eastern Indian Ocean and the central Indo-Pacific region, the northwestern, northern and eastern coasts of Australia, Japan, the South China Sea and the island groups of the West Pacific. Its depth range is between about 1 and 25 metres (3 and 82 ft). It usually occurs on reef slopes or on reef flats.^[1]

يُعدّ مرجان H. actiniformis من المرجان التكافلي، إذ يحتوي على كائنات دقيقة تقوم بعملية التمثيل الضوئي في أنسجته . وخلال النهار، تُزوّد ​​هذه الكائنات المرجان بمعظم احتياجاته الأيضية . ^{[ 2 ]} كما يتغذى المرجان على العوالق الحيوانية التي تصطادها لوامسه. وإلى جانب تكاثره الجنسي عن طريق إطلاق البويضات والحيوانات المنوية في الماء ( التفريخ )، يُنتج هذا المرجان أحيانًا بوليبًا جديدًا. ^{[ 1 ]} وتُوفّر بوليبات H. actiniformis بيئة دقيقة لمجموعة واسعة من الحيوانات المرتبطة بها، بدءًا من الروبيان المنظف وصولًا إلى الأسماك اليافعة . ^{[ 5 ] [ 6 ]}

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