''Fungia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of corals in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Fungiidae The Fungiidae () are a family of Cnidaria, commonly known as mushroom corals or plate corals. The family contains thirteen extant genera. They range from solitary corals to colonial species. Some genera such as ''Cycloseris'' and ''Fungia'' ar ...

. It is monotypic with the single species ''Fungia fungites'', which is found growing on reefs in the

Indo-Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...

Taxonomy

Until 2015, the genus ''Fungia'' had more than 30 species, but based on recent studies it has now been reduced to a single species.Hoeksema, B. (2015). Fungia Lamarck, 1801. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=206375. World Marine Species Register. Retrieved on October 19, 2016.

Description

Corals of ''Fungia fungites'' are mostly solitary, some attaining in diameter. The juveniles attach themselves to rock but larger individuals detach themselves and become free living. They are found in various bright colours including white, pink, red, purple, blue and yellow and are popular with keepers of

reef aquarium A reef aquarium or reef tank is a marine aquarium that prominently displays live corals and other marine invertebrates as well as fish that play a role in maintaining the tropical coral reef environment. A reef aquarium requires appropriately ...

s. The discs are either round or oval and the central mouth, which is surrounded by

tentacle In zoology, a tentacle is a flexible, mobile, and elongated organ present in some species of animals, most of them invertebrates. In animal anatomy, tentacles usually occur in one or more pairs. Anatomically, the tentacles of animals work main ...

s, may be a slit. The polyp sits in a calcareous cup, the

corallite A corallite is the skeletal cup, formed by an individual stony coral polyp, in which the polyp sits and into which it can retract. The cup is composed of aragonite, a crystalline form of calcium carbonate, and is secreted by the polyp. Corallit ...

. The

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are vertical skeletal elements inside the corallite wall and the costae join the septae and continue outside the corallite wall and underneath the coral. Both the septae and costae are robust. ''Fungia fungites'' may be confused with specimens of the related genus ''

Cycloseris ''Cycloseris'' is a genus of solitary disc corals in the family Fungiidae. They are found in the Indo-Pacific. They inhabit the lower reef slopes, and the areas between reefs with soft sediments. They tolerate turbid waters. Description Corals ...

'' but the latter are always free living, even as juveniles, while the former bear a scar showing where they were attached when young. Fungia corals, like other large polyp stony corals, have developed several feeding strategies. They also capture planktonic organisms, food particles from the water column, and can absorb dissolved organic matter. Feeding tentacles are usually visible at night. Fungia also reproduce asexually. Daughter colonies / polyps may form and they will form offspring from broken pieces. they show regeneration.

Gallery

File:Fungia fungites 01 by Line1.jpg File:Fungia fungites, boca.jpg File:Fungia fungites con hijo.jpg File:Fungia fungites agregación.jpg File:Fungia fungites, agregación en Koh Phangan.jpg File:Fungia fungites, Samoa Americana 3.jpg File:Fungia fungites, Layang-Layang.jpg File:Fungia fungites, Koh Phangan.jpg

References

External links

ReefCorner - Fungia Coral Database EntryAcquarioitalia - Scheda Fungia SP
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q2710067, from2=Q3938745 Fungiidae Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Cnidarian genera Corals described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus