Heterocyathus is a genus of coralHoeksema, B. W.; Cairns, S. (2019). World List of Scleractinia. Heterocyathus Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=206380 on 23 August 2019 of the family Caryophylliidae.
Species Heterocyathus aequicostatus Milne-Edwards and Haime, 1848 (type species) Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus delicatus Sakakura, 1935 Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus parasiticus Semper, 1872 Heterocyathus alternatus Verrill, 1865 Heterocyathus antoniae Reyes, Santodomingo & Cairns, 2009 Heterocyathus hemisphaericus Gray, 1849 Heterocyathus sulcatus (Verrill, 1866) Heterocyathus cochlea (Spengler, 1781) Heterocyathus eupsammides Gray, 1849 Heterocyathus hemisphericus Gray, 1849 Heterocyathus heterocostatus Harrison, 1911 Heterocyathus incrustans (Dennant, 1906) Heterocyathus japonicus (Verrill, 1866) Heterocyathus lamellosus (Verrill, 1865) Heterocyathus mai Cheng, 1971 Heterocyathus oblongatus Rehberg, 1892 Heterocyathus parasiticus Semper, 1872 Heterocyathus philippensis Semper, 1872 Heterocyathus philippinensis Semper, 1872 Heterocyathus pulchellus Rehberg, 1892 Heterocyathus roussaeanus Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1848 Heterocyathus rousseaui (Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1857) Heterocyathus woodmasoni Alcock, 1893 Ecology 'Mobility of this genus is facultative which means they have the capacity to move around but not always will they exhibit it. Heterocyathus could have zooxanthellae in shallow water, however, they may live on without symbiotic algae at deeper depths. The Heterocyathus species is sometimes hermatypic or a hard coral primarily responsible for reef-building. In the case of Heterocyathus, reefs are made as the species produces layers of calcium carbonate beneath their bodies. Wijsman-Best M, Faure G, Pichon M. (1980). Contribution to the knowledge of the stony corals from the Seychelles and Eastern Africa. Revue Zoologique Africaine. 3: 600-627, pls. 9-`12. They show epifaunal characteristics and hence are seen in deeper areas of water. They are microcarnivores feeding on tiny organisms. A species of hermit crabs, Diogenidae Heteropsammia, allows for the Heterocyathus the ability to roam around the seafloor.A new species of hermit crab, Diogenes heteropsammicola (Crustacea, Decapoda, Anomura, Diogenidae), replaces a mutualistic sipunculan in a walking coral symbiosis
Symbiotic Relationships Heterocyathus has both a mutualism and parasitism relationship with another organism called the Albian scleractinian- sipunculan (commonly known as a type of worm). The coral benefits since the worm offers nutrients and food, meanwhile the worm benefits since the coral is a form of protection or shelter. However, if the shell of the coral outgrows the worm, the worm benefits by gaining total protection, thus making a parasitism relationship Stolarski, J., Zibrowius, H., & Loser, H. A. N. N. E. S. (2001). Antiquity of the scleractinian-sipunculan symbiosis. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 46(3). Hoeksema, B.W. & M.B. Best, 1991. New observations on scleractinian corals from Indonesia: 2. Sipunculan-associated species belonging to the genera Heterocyathus and Heteropsammia. ? Zoologische Mededelingen, Leiden 65: 221-245.http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184311
References