| Haliclystidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Haliclystus sanjuanensis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Staurozoa |
| Order: | Stauromedusae |
| Suborder: | Myostaurida |
| Family: | Haliclystidae Haeckel, 1879 |
| Genera | |
See text | |
Haliclystidae is a family of stalked jellyfish in the order Stauromedusae. [1]
According to the World Register of Marine Species, the following genera and species are found in this family:
Stauromedusae are the stalked jellyfishes. They are the sole living members of the class Staurozoa and belong to the medusozoa subphylum of Cnidaria. They are unique among medusa jellyfish in that they do not have an alternation of polyp and medusa life cycle phases, but are instead interpreted as an attached medusa stage, with a lifestyle more resembling that of polypoid forms. They have a generally trumpet-shaped body, oriented upside-down in comparison with other jellyfish, with the tentacles projecting upwards, and the stalk located in the centre of the umbrella. Stauromedusae usually has eight marginal arms at the top of the calyx. They reach their adult sizes within several weeks, typically 1 to 4 centimeters in length.
Staurozoa is a class of Medusozoa. It has one extant order: Stauromedusae with a total of 50 known species. A fossil group called Conulariida has been proposed as a second order, although this is highly speculative. The extinct order is largely unknown and described as a possibly cnidarian clade of marine life with shell-like structures, the Conulariida. Staurozoans are small animals that live in marine environments, usually attached to seaweeds, rocks, or gravel. They have a large antitropical distribution, a majority found in boreal or polar, near-shore, and shallow waters. Few staurozoans are found in warmer tropical and subtropical water environments of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Ocean basins, but most are known from the Northern Hemisphere. Over the years the number of discovered species has increased, with an estimated 50 species currently recognized. Information on Staurozoa is sparse, and it is one of the least studied groups within Cnidaria. While often neglected, correctly recognizing the characteristics of this class is crucial for understanding cnidarian evolution.
Aiptasia is a genus of a symbiotic cnidarian belonging to the class Anthozoa. Aiptasia is a widely distributed genus of temperate and tropical sea anemones of benthic lifestyle typically found living on mangrove roots and hard substrates. These anemones, as well as many other cnidarian species, often contain symbiotic dinoflagellate unicellular algae of the genus Symbiodinium living inside nutritive cells. The symbionts provide food mainly in the form of lipids and sugars produced from photosynthesis to the host while the hosts provides inorganic nutrients and a constant and protective environment to the algae. Species of Aiptasia are relatively weedy anemones able to withstand a relatively wide range of salinities and other water quality conditions. In the case of A. pallida and A. pulchella, their hardiness coupled with their ability to reproduce very quickly and out-compete other species in culture gives these anemones the status of pest from the perspective of coral reef aquarium hobbyists. These very characteristics make them easy to grow in the laboratory and thus they are extensively used as model organisms for scientific study. In this respect, Aiptasia have contributed a significant amount of knowledge regarding cnidarian biology, especially human understanding of cnidarian-algal symbioses, a biological phenomenon crucial to the survival of corals and coral reef ecosystems. The dependence of coral reefs on the health of the symbiosis is dramatically illustrated by the devastating effects experienced by corals due to the loss of algal symbionts in response to environmental stress, a phenomenon known as coral bleaching.
Rhodactis is genus of mushroom corals which are characterized by large individual polyps that are often reminiscent of a mushroom. Rhodactis are related to stony corals but do not produce a stony skeleton.
Calvadosia is a genus of stalked jellyfish in the order Stauromedusae. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Kishinouyeidae.
Haliclystus is a genus of stalked jellyfish that contains 11 species and one nomen nudum. It is the largest genus in the order Stauromedusae. Members of this genus are found in the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern oceans. Two members of this genus, Haliclystus kerguelensis and Haliclystus antarcticus, are found in the Southern hemisphere only. The remaining 9 members are found in the Northern hemisphere only.
Hormathiidae is a family of sea anemones in the class Anthozoa.
Halcampidae is a family of sea anemones. Members of this family usually live with their column buried in sand or other soft substrates.
Epiactis is a genus of sea anemones in the family Actiniidae. There are about nineteen recognised species and the type species is Epiactis prolifera.
Peachia is a genus of sea anemone in the family Haloclavidae. Members of this genus typically burrow into soft substrates. The only part of the animal that is normally visible is the oral disc and tentacles which lie flat on the sand in a star shape. The type species is Peachia cylindrica.
The stalked trumpet jelly, is a species of stalked jellyfish in the family Depastridae. It is the only member of the genus Depastromorpha.
Lipkea is a genus of stalked jellyfish. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Lipkeidae. Lipkea species lack tentacles at the end of their bell.
Rhizostomatidae is a family of cnidarians in the class Scyphozoa.
Sagartiogeton is a genus of sea anemones in the family Sagartiidae.
Edwardsiella is a genus of sea anemones in the family Edwardsiidae. It is named in honour of Henri Milne-Edwards, an eminent French zoologist.
Bolocera is a genus of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae.
Manania are a genus of stalked jellyfish in the family Haliclystidae.
Manania handi is a species of stalked jellyfish found in the Pacific Ocean along the west coast of North America. This species can be found in shallow waters at low tide on soft substrates such as seagrass (Phyllospadix), but the related M. gwilliami have also been recovered at depths of >10 metres. This may reflect that intertidal specimens represent the fringes of a population that is typically more commonly found in the subtidal zone.
Haliclystus stejnegeri is a species of stalked jellyfish in the family Haliclystidae.
Halimocyathus is a genus of stalked jellyfish in the family Haliclystidae. It is monotypic, containing the sole species Halimocyathus platypus.
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