Mozambique - 2006

Mozambique • Cnidaria

The identifications were only made on the basis of the photographs which is very hazardous for most of the species. As a consequence the Latin names might not be accurate.
The books used for the identification are listed: bibliography.

This group is monophyletic, that's to say, you have a common ancestor and all its descendants. Nevertheless, it's a real nightmare. The use is to consider four classes:
• Anthozoa: anemones, corals...
• Hydrozoa: Portuguese Man o' War...
• Scyphozoa: jellyfish
• Cubozoa: box jellies

Anthozoa are can be split in:
• Hexacorallia (6 way symmetry): Ceriantharia (tube anemones), Zoanthidea (zoanthids), Actiniaria (sea anemones), Corallimorpharia (coral anemones), Scleractinia (stony corals), Antipatharia (black corals), Zoanthidea (zoanthids)...
• Octocorallia (8 way symmetry): Alcyonacea (soft corals), Gorgonacea (sea fans), Helioporacea (blue coral), Pennatulacea (sea pens)...

Click on the pictures to get a closer view

CNIDARIA, Anthozoa (anemones, corals...)

Hexacorallia, Ceriantharia (tube anemones)

Cerianthidae
Cerianthus sp.

Cerianthidae
Cerianthus sp.

Cerianthidae
Cerianthus sp.

Cerianthidae
Cerianthus sp.

Hexacorallia, Zoanthidea (zoanthids): see Parazoanthus sp. on Lopha sp. ( Ostreidae) or Hyotissa sp. (Gryphaeidae)

Hexacorallia, Actiniaria (sea anemones)

Actinodendronidae
cf. Actinodendron arboreum (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833)

Actinodendronidae
cf. Actinodendron arboreum (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833)

Actinodendronidae
cf. Actinodendron sp.

Stichodactylidae
cf. Heteractis aurora (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833)

I found this anemone very busy eating a Strombus gibberulus in shallow water. Any idea which species ?

Any idea ?

Hexacorallia, Corallimorpharia (coral anemones): see Discosoma sp. on Spondylus sp.

Hexacorallia, Scleractinia (stony corals)

© Copyright 2006 Fiona McIntosh
Acroporidae
Montipora cf. aequituberculata (Bernard, 1897)

Poritidae
Goniopora sp.

Poritidae
Goniopora sp.

Mussidae
Cynarina lacrymalis (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848)

Euphyllidae
Plerogyra sinuosa (Dana, 1846)

Mussidae or Faviidae

Plerogyra sinuosa (Dana, 1846), cf.Scleronephthya sp.
Fungia sp.

See also, Vermetidae on a Faviidae

Hexacorallia, Antipatharia (black corals): see Cirripathes sp. with Bryaninops cf. yongei (Davis & Cohen, 1969)

Octocorallia, Alcyonacea (soft corals)

Xeniidae
Xenia sp.

Xeniidae
Xenia sp.

Xeniidae
Xenia sp.

Nephtheidae
cf. Scleronephthya sp.

CNIDARIA, Hydrozoa

Physaliidae
Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758), Portuguese man-of-war

Porpitidae
Porpita porpita Linnaeus, 1758

Porpitidae
Porpita porpita Linnaeus, 1758

Pelagic species on the beach: Vellela sp., Porpita porpita, and gastropods

CNIDARIA, Scyphozoa (jellyfish)

Ulmaridae
Aurelia aurita (L., 1758)

Ulmaridae
Aurelia aurita (Linnaeus, 1758), moon jellyfish

Ulmaridae
Aurelia aurita (L., 1758)

This harmless species is very common. Sometimes, brittlestars are found in the bell of the jellyfish.

Scyphozoa sp., unknown jellyfish with brittlestars in the bell.

Cepheidae
Cephea cephea (Forsskål, 1775)

Mozambique
Porifera • Mollusca • Annelida • Arthropoda • Echinodermata • Tunicata • Fish
Home

Last update 20/02/07
© Copyright 2006 Sophie Valtat

Mozambique • Cnidaria The identifications were only made on the basis of the photographs which is very hazardous for most of the species. As a consequence the Latin names might not be accurate. The books used for the identification are listed: bibliography. This group is monophyletic, that's to say, you have a common ancestor and all its descendants. Nevertheless, it's a real nightmare. The use is to consider four classes: • Anthozoa: anemones, corals... • Hydrozoa: Portuguese Man o' War... • Scyphozoa: jellyfish • Cubozoa: box jellies Anthozoa are can be split in: • Hexacorallia (6 way symmetry): Ceriantharia (tube anemones), Zoanthidea (zoanthids), Actiniaria (sea anemones), Corallimorpharia (coral anemones), Scleractinia (stony corals), Antipatharia (black corals), Zoanthidea (zoanthids)... • Octocorallia (8 way symmetry): Alcyonacea (soft corals), Gorgonacea (sea fans), Helioporacea (blue coral), Pennatulacea (sea pens)... Click on the pictures to get a closer view CNIDARIA, Anthozoa (anemones, corals...) Hexacorallia, Ceriantharia (tube anemones)
Cerianthidae Cerianthus sp.	Cerianthidae Cerianthus sp.	Cerianthidae Cerianthus sp.	Cerianthidae Cerianthus sp.
Hexacorallia, Zoanthidea (zoanthids): see Parazoanthus sp. on Lopha sp. ( Ostreidae) or Hyotissa sp. (Gryphaeidae)
Hexacorallia, Actiniaria (sea anemones)
Actinodendronidae cf. Actinodendron arboreum (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833)	Actinodendronidae cf. Actinodendron arboreum (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833)	Actinodendronidae cf. Actinodendron sp.	Stichodactylidae cf. Heteractis aurora (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833)
I found this anemone very busy eating a Strombus gibberulus in shallow water. Any idea which species ?		Any idea ?
Hexacorallia, Corallimorpharia (coral anemones): see Discosoma sp. on Spondylus sp.
Hexacorallia, Scleractinia (stony corals)
© Copyright 2006 Fiona McIntosh Acroporidae Montipora cf. aequituberculata (Bernard, 1897)		Poritidae Goniopora sp.	Poritidae Goniopora sp.
Mussidae Cynarina lacrymalis (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848)	Euphyllidae Plerogyra sinuosa (Dana, 1846)		Mussidae or Faviidae
	Plerogyra sinuosa (Dana, 1846), cf.Scleronephthya sp. Fungia sp.		See also, Vermetidae on a Faviidae
Hexacorallia, Antipatharia (black corals): see Cirripathes sp. with Bryaninops cf. yongei (Davis & Cohen, 1969)
Octocorallia, Alcyonacea (soft corals)
Xeniidae Xenia sp.	Xeniidae Xenia sp.		Xeniidae Xenia sp.
	Nephtheidae cf. Scleronephthya sp.
CNIDARIA, Hydrozoa
Physaliidae Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758), Portuguese man-of-war	Porpitidae Porpita porpita Linnaeus, 1758	Porpitidae Porpita porpita Linnaeus, 1758	Pelagic species on the beach: Vellela sp., Porpita porpita, and gastropods
CNIDARIA, Scyphozoa (jellyfish)
Ulmaridae Aurelia aurita (L., 1758)	Ulmaridae Aurelia aurita (Linnaeus, 1758), moon jellyfish		Ulmaridae Aurelia aurita (L., 1758)
This harmless species is very common. Sometimes, brittlestars are found in the bell of the jellyfish.

Scyphozoa sp., unknown jellyfish with brittlestars in the bell.
	Cepheidae Cephea cephea (Forsskål, 1775)
Mozambique Porifera • Mollusca • Annelida • Arthropoda • Echinodermata • Tunicata • Fish Home
Last update 20/02/07		© Copyright 2006 Sophie Valtat