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Balanophyllia bonaespei
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Class:	Hexacorallia
Order:	Scleractinia
Family:	Dendrophylliidae
Genus:	Balanophyllia
Species:	B. bonaespei
Binomial name
Balanophyllia bonaespei van der Horst, 1938

Balanophyllia bonaespei is a species of solitary cup coral, a stony coral in the family Dendrophylliidae. It is an azooxanthellate species that does not contain symbiotic dinoflagellates in its tissues as most corals do.

Description

Cup corals are solitary hard corals which superficially resemble orange sea anemones. They grow to 1–2 cm in diameter. They have almost transparent beaded tentacles.

Distribution

This species is known from Saldanha Bay to East London off the South African coast, and lives from 5 to 150 metres (16 to 492 ft) under water.

Ecology

This species is often found in caves or under dark overhangs.

References

1. ^ Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) bonaespei van der Horst, 1938 World Register of Marine Species. accessed 15 August 2012
2. Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0
3. ^ Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9

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