Anthozoa

From Freepedia

? Anthozoa
Image:Scheibenanemonen (Actinodiscus spec).jpg Actinodiscus spec
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Cnidaria Class: Anthozoa Ehrenberg, 1831
Orders
Subclass Alcyonaria (Octocorallia)   Alcyonacea - Soft corals   Gorgonacea - sea fan,sea feather   Helioporacea   Pennatulacea - sea pen, sea pansy   Stolonifera   Telestacea Subclass Ceriantipatharia   Antipatharia - black coral, thorny coral   Ceriantharia - tube-dwelling anemone Subclass Hexacorallia   Actiniaria - Sea anemone   Scleractinia - stony coral Subclass Zoantharia   Corallimorpharia   Ptychodactiaria   Rugosa†   Zoanthidea - zoanthid

Anthozoa is a class within the phylum Cnidaria that contains the Sea anemones and corals. Unlike other cnidarians, anthozoans do not have a medusa stage in their development. Instead, they release sperm and eggs that form a planula, which attaches to some substrate. Some anthozoans can also reproduce asexually through budding.

Although sea anemones can catch fish and other prey items and corals can catch plankton, anthozoans also rely on a symbiotic relationship with the dinoflagellates called zooxanthellae. While there is some dispute over whether this is a commensalistic or mutualistic relationship, it does appear mutualistic. The zooxanthellae are provided with protection by the anthozoan; they take up wastes and carbon dioxide and provide their host (anemone or coral) with carbohydrates and oxygen. These zooxanthellae give anemones and corals their color.