Kary Mar
Info
Eudistoma fluorescens is found mainly in temperate to tropical waters on coral reefs or rock banks, where they are found in calm, often light-flooded areas.
However, their exact depth distribution can vary depending on the geographical location and the specific environmental conditions.
Since Eudistoma fluorescens has fluorescent properties, these animals are particularly conspicuous in light water, which also helps to explain why they occur in regions where enough light penetrates through the water to enable this fluorescence.
Description:
The sand-free colonies form 1.5 cm thick and 5 to 6 cm wide pads. When alive, they are brightly mottled orange with irregular white spots, especially around the mouth openings.
The zooids are easily visible through the tunic when the colony is fixed. They form rosette systems that are circular or oval.
The edge of the oral siphon has a thin orange ring. The cloacal openings are grouped in the center of each system. The thoraces are perpendicular to the surface in the superficial layer of the colony, but the abdomens have no uniform orientation. The zooids measure up to 7 mm when relaxed.
The oral siphon is short and has six lobes, the cloacal siphon is slightly longer and ends in six equal lobes or in four dorsal and two ventral lobes.
The abdomen is distinctly longer than the thorax, broadened in the cardiac region and ends in several finger-shaped vascular processes.
Up to five larvae can be found in the cloaca.
This species differs from all other described Eudistoma species in its color and the special structure of the larvae.
Etymology: The species name “fluorescens” is the Latinization of “fluorescent”; it has a translucent body structure that can fluoresce when exposed to direct light, which gives it the name “fluorescens”.
However, their exact depth distribution can vary depending on the geographical location and the specific environmental conditions.
Since Eudistoma fluorescens has fluorescent properties, these animals are particularly conspicuous in light water, which also helps to explain why they occur in regions where enough light penetrates through the water to enable this fluorescence.
Description:
The sand-free colonies form 1.5 cm thick and 5 to 6 cm wide pads. When alive, they are brightly mottled orange with irregular white spots, especially around the mouth openings.
The zooids are easily visible through the tunic when the colony is fixed. They form rosette systems that are circular or oval.
The edge of the oral siphon has a thin orange ring. The cloacal openings are grouped in the center of each system. The thoraces are perpendicular to the surface in the superficial layer of the colony, but the abdomens have no uniform orientation. The zooids measure up to 7 mm when relaxed.
The oral siphon is short and has six lobes, the cloacal siphon is slightly longer and ends in six equal lobes or in four dorsal and two ventral lobes.
The abdomen is distinctly longer than the thorax, broadened in the cardiac region and ends in several finger-shaped vascular processes.
Up to five larvae can be found in the cloaca.
This species differs from all other described Eudistoma species in its color and the special structure of the larvae.
Etymology: The species name “fluorescens” is the Latinization of “fluorescent”; it has a translucent body structure that can fluoresce when exposed to direct light, which gives it the name “fluorescens”.
