robertbaur
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Heterocyathus aequicostatus Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848
Sometimes zooxanthellate. Corals are solitary, free-living, and have a flat base. They have a commensal relationship with a sipunculid worm (Aspidosiphon corallicola) which moves the coral about on soft substrates and prevents it from becoming buried. Tentacles are usually extended only at night. Larvae initially settle on a microgastropod shell which they usually envelop during subsequent growth. Corals have only one corallite which is circular. They have prominent costae.
Colour: Pale brown, often with a greenish oral disc.
Habitat: Always found on soft horizontal substrates at depths of 20 metres or more, usually in association with Heteropsammia cochlea and the fungiid Cycloseris cyclolites.
Abundance: May be locally abundant (commonly 40 individuals per square metre).
Text source: Corals of the world by Charlie Veron
Synonymised names
Brachytrochus simplex Duncan, 1876 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus aequicostatus carthausi Felix, 1913 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus aequicostatus delicatus Sakakura, 1935 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus aequicostatus elberti Felix, 1913 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus cochlea (Spengler, 1781) · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus elongatus Hu, 1987 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus lamellosus (Verrill, 1865) · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus oblongatus Rehberg, 1892 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus philippensis Semper, 1872 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym (misspelling)
Heterocyathus philippinensis Semper, 1872 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus rembangensis Gerth, 1921 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus roussaeanus Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus rousseaui (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857) · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus sandalinus Gerth, 1921 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus woodmasoni Alcock, 1893 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heteropsammia aequicostatus (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848) · unaccepted > superseded combination
Psammoseris rousseaui Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Stephanoseris rousseaui Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Direct children (2)
Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus delicatus Sakakura, 1935 accepted as Heterocyathus aequicostatus Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus parasiticus Semper, 1872 accepted as Heterocyathus alternatus Verrill, 1866 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
Sometimes zooxanthellate. Corals are solitary, free-living, and have a flat base. They have a commensal relationship with a sipunculid worm (Aspidosiphon corallicola) which moves the coral about on soft substrates and prevents it from becoming buried. Tentacles are usually extended only at night. Larvae initially settle on a microgastropod shell which they usually envelop during subsequent growth. Corals have only one corallite which is circular. They have prominent costae.
Colour: Pale brown, often with a greenish oral disc.
Habitat: Always found on soft horizontal substrates at depths of 20 metres or more, usually in association with Heteropsammia cochlea and the fungiid Cycloseris cyclolites.
Abundance: May be locally abundant (commonly 40 individuals per square metre).
Text source: Corals of the world by Charlie Veron
Synonymised names
Brachytrochus simplex Duncan, 1876 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus aequicostatus carthausi Felix, 1913 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus aequicostatus delicatus Sakakura, 1935 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus aequicostatus elberti Felix, 1913 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus cochlea (Spengler, 1781) · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus elongatus Hu, 1987 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus lamellosus (Verrill, 1865) · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus oblongatus Rehberg, 1892 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus philippensis Semper, 1872 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym (misspelling)
Heterocyathus philippinensis Semper, 1872 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus rembangensis Gerth, 1921 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus roussaeanus Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus rousseaui (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857) · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus sandalinus Gerth, 1921 † · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heterocyathus woodmasoni Alcock, 1893 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Heteropsammia aequicostatus (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848) · unaccepted > superseded combination
Psammoseris rousseaui Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Stephanoseris rousseaui Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Direct children (2)
Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus delicatus Sakakura, 1935 accepted as Heterocyathus aequicostatus Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
Subspecies Heterocyathus aequicostatus parasiticus Semper, 1872 accepted as Heterocyathus alternatus Verrill, 1866 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
