Astrangia poculata

Super Group: 
Eukaryota
Phylum: 
Cnidaria
Class: 
Anthozoa
Order: 
Scleractinia
Family: 
Rhizangiidae
Genus: 
Astrangia
Species: 
poculata
Authority: 
Ellis & Solander, 1786
Synonym(s): 
Astrangia astreiformis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849
Astrangia danae Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849
Astrangia danae Agassiz, 1850
Astrangia edwardsii Verrill, 1866
Astrangia michelinii Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848
Madrepora poculata Ellis & Solander, 1786

Diagnosis

Encrusting massive, or ramose irregularly shaped colonies. Corallum cerioid to plocoid. new polyps produced by extratentacular budding, having coralliles united basally by thin peritheca (vesicular coenosteum). Corallites round, irregular, or polygonal; tightly packed or spaced several millimeters apart, highly variable even within a single specimen. Caliccs 1-7 mm in diameter, with distinct equal costae on any corallites. Septa hexamerally arranged in 4 cycles, however, complete fourth cycle (48 septa) only attained in very large calices. Most calices have 24 septa, emerging basally distance to columella. With increase in calicular diameter, form flanking, often with one pair per system resulting in 36 septa. Complete fourth cycle (48 septa) attained only in caliccs over 6 mm in diameter. Septa Strongly dentate, and slope gradually toward columella. Fossa shallow. Columella trabecular or papillose.
Polyps up to I cm tall and translucent white (azooxanthellate = asymbiotic) to brown.  Numerous nematocyst batteries on surface of tentacles; tip of tentacle rounded. Directive mesenteries present. Corallum often invaded by endolithic red or green boring algae, burrowing polychaetes, or sponges. Cnidocyst batteries principally composed of spirocysts. Terminal knob packed with large microbasic-p-mastigophore ncmatocysts (about 29micrometers long x 8 Mm in diameter in fixed, paraffin embedded sections) and spirocysts. Occasional small microbasic-pmastigophores scattered in epidermis (about 20 Mm long x 7 micrometers in diameter). Cnidoglandular band of mesenterial filaments possesses large microbasic-p-mastigophores (about 40micrometers long x 7 micrometers in diameter), holotrichous isorhizas (about 45 micrometers long X 15 micrometers in diameter), and small microbasic mastigophores (about 11 micrometers long X 5 micrometers in diameter). The distribution of these nematocysts vanes with location on the filament (ECP. unpublished). Histologically distinguished by well-developed longitudinal retractor muscles along the mesoglcal pleats. Gastrodermis lining calicoblastic epidermis features large cells with basophilic globules (osmiophilic, non- PAS positive, non-mucin) up to 4 Mm in diameter, which increase in number and density towards base of the polyps. Calicoblastic epidermis thickened with fine eosinophilic granules . Colonies gonochoric (=dioecious). gametes spawned annually

Observation site(s)

SYMBIONTS

Displaying 1 - 4 of 4
Association with... Region origin Name of site In reference...
Symbiodinium sp. Massachusetts Woods Hole
Symbiodinium sp. Georgia
Thornhill DJ, Kemp DW, Bruns BU, Fitt WK, Schmidt GW (2008) CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN COLD TOLERANCE AND TEMPERATE BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A WESTERN ATLANTIC SYMBIODINIUM (DINOPHYTA) LINEAGE 1. Journal of Phycology 44:1126 - 1135. doi: 10.1111/jpy.2008.44.issue-510.1111/j.1529-8817.2008.00567.x
Symbiodinium sp. Rhode island
Thornhill DJ, Kemp DW, Bruns BU, Fitt WK, Schmidt GW (2008) CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN COLD TOLERANCE AND TEMPERATE BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A WESTERN ATLANTIC SYMBIODINIUM (DINOPHYTA) LINEAGE 1. Journal of Phycology 44:1126 - 1135. doi: 10.1111/jpy.2008.44.issue-510.1111/j.1529-8817.2008.00567.x
Symbiodinium sp. Rhode island
Thornhill DJ, Kemp DW, Bruns BU, Fitt WK, Schmidt GW (2008) CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN COLD TOLERANCE AND TEMPERATE BIOGEOGRAPHY IN A WESTERN ATLANTIC SYMBIODINIUM (DINOPHYTA) LINEAGE 1. Journal of Phycology 44:1126 - 1135. doi: 10.1111/jpy.2008.44.issue-510.1111/j.1529-8817.2008.00567.x