Euphyllia glabrescens
Chamisso and Eysenhardt, 1821
Description: Colonies are phaceloid; corallites are 20-30 millimetres diameter and 15-30 millimetres apart. Walls are thin, with sharp edges. Septa are not exsert; first and second order septa plunge steeply near the centre of the corallite. There are no columellae. Polyps have large tubular tentacles with knob-like tips.
Color: Grey-blue to grey-green with cream, green, pink or white tips to the tentacles.
Habitat: A wide range of reef environments.
Abundance: Uncommon but conspicuous, rare in the Red Sea.
Similar Species: Euphyllia cristata, which has much more compact corallites with more exsert primary septa. See also E. paraglabrescens. The fungiid Heliofungia actiniformis has larger tentacles of similar appearance.
Source reference: Veron (2000). Taxonomic reference: Veron and Pichon (1980). Identification guides: Randall and Myers (1983), Veron (1986), Sheppard and Sheppard (1991), Nishihira and Veron (1995).
Large colonies where the mass of long tentacles obscures all underlying structure. Papua New Guinea Photograph: Jim Maragos
A single polyp. Flores Sea, Indonesia Photograph: Neville Coleman
An unusual colour variation. Flores, Indonesia Photograph: Charlie Veron
Skeletal detail. Branch ends.