|
Oculina Arbuscula
''Oculina arbuscula'' is a branching temperate coral found along the east coast of the United States from Florida to North Carolina. It has a facultative symbiosis with microalgae of the family Symbiodiniaceae. Unlike tropical corals, ''O. arbuscula'' can survive without its algal endosymbionts by switching to a predominantly heterotrophic feeding strategy. Symbiotic colonies are typically found in shallower waters due to light availability, whereas aposymbiotic (without symbionts) or mixed colonies are found as deep as 200m. The ability of ''O. arbuscula'' to exist in different symbiotic states makes it a good model system for studying the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. Morphology ''O. arbuscula'' forms colonies up to 0.5 meters in diameter with relatively short stubby branches. Symbiotic colonies, depending on symbiont density, range from light to dark brown in color, whereas aposymbiotic colonies are white. Oftentimes colonies with mixed symbiotic states will be seen, wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oculina Arbuscula
''Oculina arbuscula'' is a branching temperate coral found along the east coast of the United States from Florida to North Carolina. It has a facultative symbiosis with microalgae of the family Symbiodiniaceae. Unlike tropical corals, ''O. arbuscula'' can survive without its algal endosymbionts by switching to a predominantly heterotrophic feeding strategy. Symbiotic colonies are typically found in shallower waters due to light availability, whereas aposymbiotic (without symbionts) or mixed colonies are found as deep as 200m. The ability of ''O. arbuscula'' to exist in different symbiotic states makes it a good model system for studying the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. Morphology ''O. arbuscula'' forms colonies up to 0.5 meters in diameter with relatively short stubby branches. Symbiotic colonies, depending on symbiont density, range from light to dark brown in color, whereas aposymbiotic colonies are white. Oftentimes colonies with mixed symbiotic states will be seen, wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
