Fimbriaphyllia ancora
A hard coral with T-tipped tentacles and sought-after green fluorescent protein.
Fimbriaphyllia ancora is a species of hard coral in the family Euphylliidae, known by several common names including anchor coral and hammer coral. It is notable for its distinctive puffy tubular tentacles with T-shaped tips and its ability to demonstrate full or partial viral infection of green fluorescent protein, a trait highly sought for aquarium specimens.
- Common names
- anchor coral, hammer coral, sausage coral, ridge coral, bubble honeycomb coral
- Colony size
- usually no more than a meter across, but at times can reach several meters
- Distribution
- Indo-West Pacific area from the Maldives to the Salomon Islands, with a large presence in Indonesia
- Spawning timing
- late spring in Taiwan, on the 3rd and 6th nights after a full moon during neap tides
- Larval development timing
- ciliated larvae form 14 to 24 hours after fertilization; planula become elongated and active between 24 and 36 hours; benthic searching behavior seen 3 to 7 days after fertilization
Lore & Background
Fimbriaphyllia ancora is a madreporal colony easily identified by its puffy tubular tentacles with T-shaped or boomerang-shaped tips. The coral ranges in color from blue-gray to orange, sometimes with green on the tentacles. Colonies are flabelloid, phaceloid, or flabello-meandroid, with thin walls and mostly absent columellae. Septa are exsert, smooth edged, and solid. Tentacles are extended day and night and are large and fleshy. The body wall consists of two cell layers—ectodermis and gastrodermis—separated by a jelly-like mesoglea, a structure shared only with comb-jellies.
The species is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific, from the Maldives to the Salomon Islands, with a large presence in Indonesia. It is common in some areas but faces threats that have reduced its overall population, and its coral reef habitat is degraded and destroyed in many areas.
Fimbriaphyllia ancora is gonochoristic and spawns in late spring in Taiwan via external fertilization. Mass spawning occurs on the 3rd and 6th nights after a full moon during neap tides. New colonies form from tentacle tips that break free of parent colonies.
Reader's Guide
Fimbriaphyllia ancora holds significance in both ecological and aquarium contexts. Ecologically, it is a widespread species in the Indo-West Pacific, contributing to reef structure in areas from the Maldives to the Salomon Islands, with a large presence in Indonesia. Its reproduction involves synchronous mass spawning tied to lunar cycles, and its development includes a planula stage that incorporates zooxanthellae before settling and forming a calcium carbonate exoskeleton.
In the aquarium trade, the coral is highly sought for its ability to demonstrate full or partial viral infection of green fluorescent protein, a trait that makes specimens visually striking. However, the species faces threats from habitat degradation and destruction, as well as rising sea temperatures—tropical seas have increased by almost 1 °C over the past 100 years and are currently rising 1–2 °C per century. Zooxanthellate corals like F. ancora live close to their upper thermal limit and can bleach if exposed to temperatures 1–2 °C above normal.
Conservation efforts are noted as beneficial, with well-managed tourist activities such as scuba and snorkeling representing an eternally renewable source of income that can support long-term conservation, particularly in poor countries or islands where coral reefs are located.
Did You Know?
- Fimbriaphyllia ancora is also known as sausage coral, ridge coral, or bubble honeycomb coral.
- Its tentacles have a T-shaped or boomerang shape and are extended both day and night.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fimbriaphyllia ancora?
Fimbriaphyllia ancora is a hard coral in the family Euphylliidae, most widely recognized as the anchor coral or hammer coral. It is instantly identifiable by its inflated, sausage-like tentacles that terminate in a distinctive T-shaped fork.
Why do reef aquarists specifically seek out Fimbriaphyllia ancora?
The species is highly prized because it can express green fluorescent protein through a viral infection process, yielding vivid coloration that stands out in a reef tank. Both full and partial GFP expression patterns are collected, making each specimen visually unique.
Where does Fimbriaphyllia ancora naturally occur?
This coral ranges across the Indo-West Pacific from the Maldives eastward to the Solomon Islands, with particularly dense populations around Indonesia. In the wild, colonies usually stay under a meter across, though exceptionally large specimens have been recorded spanning several meters.
When and how does Fimbriaphyllia ancora spawn and develop its larvae?
In regions such as Taiwan, spawning takes place in late spring on the third and sixth nights after a full moon during neap tides. Fertilized eggs form ciliated larvae within 14 to 24 hours, which elongate and become motile between 24 and 36 hours before exhibiting benthic searching behavior three to seven days after fertilization.
What other common names does Fimbriaphyllia ancora go by?
Beyond anchor coral and hammer coral, the species is also called sausage coral, ridge coral, and bubble honeycomb coral. These alternative names generally reference the plump tubular shape of its polyps or the ridged texture of its skeleton.
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