Anchor Coral; Hammer Coral
Euphyllia ancora
This species is distinguished by its meandroid colony formation with unusual tentacles which form a 'hammer' or 'C-shaped' tip. Live colonies are green, blue, yellow, cream, orange or brown.
Morphology
Meandroid colonies with C-shaped tentacle tips.
Evolution
Species age estimated to be 1.5459 mya.
Behaviour
Euphyllia species are renounded for possessing sweeper tentacles that contain nematocysts that enable them to aggressively compete and defend space.
Method of reproduction
Euphyllia corals are gonochoric meaning they have separate male and female colonies.
Habitat
Marine
Subtidal on reef slopes and sheltered habitats (0-30m).
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific.
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Anthozoa |
| Subclass: | Hexacorallia |
| Order: | Scleractinia |
| Family: | Euphylliidae |
| Genus: | Euphyllia |
| Species: | ancora |
| Name Published Year: | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Rank: | species |
| Scientific Name Authorship: | Veron & Pichon |
| Commercial Impact: | These corals are highly targed in the aquarium industry and are seldom common |
| Conservation Assessment: | Vulnerable |
Cite this page
Western Australian Museum Collections https://museum.wa.gov.au/online-collections/names/euphyllia-ancora
Accessed 24 Apr 2025
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