Duncanopsammia axifuga
Milne Edwards and Haime, 1848
Description: Colonies are composed of long tubular corallites which bifurcate at irregular intervals, and which face upward. Corallites are round, 10-14 millimetres diameter, and have well developed septa arranged according to Pourtalès plan. Columellae are broad and deep seated. Walls are composed of porous coenosteum. Tentacles are extended day and night and may form a continuous mat concealing the shape of the underlying colony.
Color: Green or blue-grey.
Habitat: Usually occurs in water over 20 metres deep, attached to a solid substrate but in areas where soft sand predominates.
Abundance: Rare but conspicuous.
Similar Species: Tubastrea species have similar corallites, but are azooxanthellate.
Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic reference: Veron and Pichon (1980). Identification guides: Veron (1986), Nishihira and Veron (1995).
A colony with some polyps sufficiently retracted to see the branching pattern of the polyps. Houtman Abrolhos Islands, south-west Australia Photograph: Clay Bryce
Skeletal detail. Showing corallites.
This species always appears as a mass of tentacles that readily retract if disturbed. This colony has polyps fully extended (top left) to retracted (bottom right). Houtman Abrolhos Islands, south-west Australia Photograph: Clay Bryce