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Related FAQs: TWA Invertebrates,
Fishes of the Tropical West Atlantic,
Tropical West Atlantic 2, Related
Articles: Algae, Vascular Plants,
Introduction to Fishwatcher's Guide Series Pieces/Sections,
Lachnolaimus maxiumus/Hogfish,
Hogfishes of the Genus Bodianus,
Invertebrates, Algae and Vascular Plants of The Tropical West
Atlantic: Bahamas to Brazil, Part 3 To:
Part 1, Part 2,
Part 4, Part 5,
Part 6, Part 7,
Part 8, Part 9, |
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| Bob Fenner |
Hydrozoans... |
Hydrozoans... Little Christmas Trees and More that Sting Like
Bejeesus! Don't Touch!!! Hydrozoans are the "other" Class
of cnidarians (Anthozoans making up the mainly polypoid corals,
anemones, sea fans... and Scyphozoans the "real" Jellyfishes that live
most of their lives as medusas, inverted bell-shapes). Most of the
Hydrozoans are small, obscure not-so funny to touch Christmas tree sort
of affairs, but they include such notables as Portuguese Man of War,
Fire Corals (Millepora), and the beautiful delicate Stylasterines (Lace
Corals) amongst their ranks. These are
colonial animals, sometimes a branch per colony, other times a
specialized part (like the "Sail" in the Man 'O War...). Order
Hydrocorallina: These are colonial polypoid hydrozoans that secrete
calcium carbonate skeletons, though they are not true corals... The
Order comprises two suborders, the Milleporina and Stylasterina
Fire Coral, Millepora: Most Common and (Ouch!) Most Commonly
Encountered! 
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Millepora alcicornis Belize |
Millepora complanata Tobago |
Millepora sp. Cebu |
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Living on and being lived on by/with Seafans, molluscs, algae,
fishes... it's the pest/wet-pet Millepora! |
Suborder Stylasterina: Characterized by having a thick layer of
tissue overlying their skeletons. Their specialized feeding and
defensive polyps are imbedded within star-shaped openings in their
calcareous skeletons. |
Stylaster roseus Here in the Bahamas and St. Lucia in the
TWA. | 
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Order Hydroida: Often small, cryptic to the point of being unseen...
on rock, mooring lines... |
Halocordyle disticha, the Christmas Tree Hydroid. Branches
alternately arranged on single stalks in colonies. Bearing prominent
white polyps at ends like Xmas ornaments. To three and a half inches
in height. St. Lucia pix. | 
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Rapharia gorgoniae, Solitary Gorgonian Hydroid. Size: 1/4-1 in.
diameter. Singular polyps with thin, clearish tentacles. Usually
found attached to sea fans, particularly Sea Plumes
(Pseudopterogorgia). Cozumel pic by Di. | 
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Thyroscyphus ramosus, the Algae Hydroid. Uneven alternately
arrayed branches, often covered by algae. "Clean" in St. Lucia, and
more typical appearance in Belize and a close-up in Cozumel. |
To: Part 1, Part 2,
Part 4, Part 5, Part
6, Part 7, Part 8,
Part 9, Part 10,
Part 11, Part 12,
Part 13, Part 14,
Part 15,
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