Cnidarians Flashcards
How are solitary corallites formed?
polyps which live an individual existence and do not form part of a colony
Where can many solitary corals be found among?
Rugosa and Scleractinia (extinct solitary corals)
How are colonies produced from an individual founding polyp?
asexual reproduction
What is the advantage to coral colonies forming?
capacity for increased size and stability and greater efficiency in feeding and other major life processes
What are the skeletons secreted by colonial corals said to be?
Compound (leading to widely variable morphology)
What are some examples of Cateniforms?
Halysites; Tabulate
What are Canteniforms like?
corallites are joined laterally to form palisades
Would do horizontal section of canteniforms resemble?
links in a chain
What are some examples of Cerioids?
Lonsdaelia; Rugosa
What are Cerioids?
walls of the adjacent corallites are joined to produce a polygonal pattern in cross section
What is an example of a phaceloid?
Syringopora; Tabulata
What are phaceloids?
a type of fasciculate coral in which the cylindrical corallites are approximately parallel with each other
What is an example of Thamnasteroid?
Phillipsastraea; Rugosa
What are Thamnasteroids?
absence of Epithecal so the septa (walls/plates) adjacent corallites join each other
What is the common growth forms of Thamnasteroids?
Scleractinian corals (also in extinct rugose corals)