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| corallimorphs text index | photo index |
| Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Zoantharia/Hexacorallia > Order Corallimorpharia |
| Carpet
corallimorph awaiting identification* updated Aug 10 Where seen? This shaggy disk-shaped animal is commonly encountered on many of our Southern shores, on coral rubble. Features: Each polyp about 2-4cm in diameter. Sometimes seen in large numbers, carpeting an area of 30-50cm square. Each polyp has lots of short, thin tentacles that densely cover the oral disk, so that the entire group of animals appears to be a living shaggy carpet. In some, each tentacle appears to be branched at the tips. The small upturned mouth is usually hidden by the tentacles. The edge of the oral disk is fringed with short tentacles. The underside is smooth and brown. The animal can tuck its oral disk into the body column when it is exposed out of water. Seen in a wide range of colours: in shades of beige, pink, orange to green, blue and purple. |
 Sisters Islands, Dec 03  |
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 Each tentacle appears to be branched at the tips. |
 Underside smooth and brown, edge fringed with short tentacles. |
Carpet corallimorphs on Singapore shores
 Termbu Pempang Laut, Apr 11 |
 Unidentifed purple strings: eggs? |
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 Sisters Island, Jul 04  |
 Pulau Jong, Jul 07  |
 Sisters Island, Jan 04  |
 Pulau Hantu, Aug 04 |
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more photos of carpet corallimorps on Singapore shores
part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5
*Species are difficult
to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, the animals are grouped by external features for convenience
of display.
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