Stylasteridae

Characteristics

Stylasterid hydrocorals exhibit a number of distinct characteristics that differentiate them from other hydrocoral families. These include:

• Coloniality: Stylasterids exist as colonies of individual polyps, each with its own specialized function within the colony.
• Athecate: They lack the protective covering, or theca, that surrounds the polyps of many other hydrozoans.
• Skeletal Structure: They possess a rigid, calcareous skeleton, which is typically branched or reticulate (net-like), often exhibiting intricate patterns.
• Dactylopores: Their polyps have specialized openings called dactylopores that function in defense, presumably by releasing stinging nematocysts.
• Amphistyla: The reproductive polyps (gonozooids) often possess both male and female reproductive structures, a condition known as amphistylism.

Environments

Stylasterid hydrocorals are typically found in a variety of marine environments, including:

• Coral reefs: They can be found on both shallow and deep reefs, often living in association with other corals.
• Subtidal rocky habitats: They can also occur on rocky substrates, including cliffs, walls, and caves, often in deeper water.
• Submarine canyons: Some stylasterids inhabit the steep slopes and depths of submarine canyons.

References

For further information about Stylasteridae, please refer to the following resources:

• World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
• A review of stylasterid hydrocorals (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Western Atlantic: description of new species and morphological variation
• ResearchGate: Stylasteridae