Brachycnemina is a suborder of zoanthids in the order Zoantharia.[1] Genetic analysis has been used to suggest Brachycnemina is a monophyletic group diverging within the paraphyletic Macrocnemina.[1]

Brachycnemina
Zoanthus colony
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Zoantharia
Suborder: Brachycnemina
Haddon & Shackleton, 1891
Families

Characteristics edit

Brachycnemia species habitate most environments, ranging from shallow tropical reefs to cold seeps in the deep sea. It forms large colonies on intertidal and shallow reef crests.[2] Due to the members of this suborder being loosely collected, there are no standard characteristics uniting them besides slight morphological, ecological and phylogenetic differences.[3]

Subdivisions edit

This suborder counts with 3 taxonomic families, namely Neozoanthidae, which is monogeneric; Sphenopidae, which includes sand-encrusted and colonial specimens like the commonly found Palythoa and Sphenopus, itself found in a few discrete areas; and Zoanthidae, whose belonging species do not show sand encrustation.[2] A total of 6 known genera and over 163 species are comprised within the Brachycnemina.[4] Palythoa and Zoanthus are two of the most common coral genera and are intensively studied for their bioactive compounds.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Sinniger, F.; Montoya-Burgos, J. I.; Chevaldonné, P.; Pawlowski, J. (2005). "Phylogeny of the order Zoantharia (Anthozoa, Hexacorallia) based on the mitochondrial ribosomal genes" (PDF). Marine Biology. 147 (5): 1121–1128. doi:10.1007/s00227-005-0016-3. ISSN 0025-3162. S2CID 83525057.
  2. ^ a b c Pandya Khushali, M.; et al. (2014). "Occurrence of Zoanthid genus Isaurus from Saurashtra coast, Gujarat, India". European Journal of Zoological Research. 3 (2): 1–5.
  3. ^ REIMER, James Davis (2010). "Key to field identification of shallow water brachycnemic zoanthids (Order Zoantharia: Suborder Brachycnemina) present in Okinawa". Galaxea, Journal of Coral Reef Studies. 12 (1): 23–29. doi:10.3755/galaxea.12.23. ISSN 1883-3969.
  4. ^ "Brachycnemina Haddon & Shackleton, 1891". GBIF.org. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2015.

Further reading edit

External links edit