Sarcophyton glaucum

Sarcophyton glaucum, called toadstool leather coral or rough leather coral, is a soft coral species that lives from the Red Sea to the western Pacific Ocean. It is part of the phylum Cnidaria, class Anthozoa, and family Alcyoniidae. This coral is especially common in the Red Sea, where it ranks among the most abundant soft corals in its family. Soft corals like this one lack a hard exoskeleton; they are sessile and are identified by the calcareous sclerites on their surfaces.

The polyps of Sarcophyton have eight tentacles. These corals form monospecific colonies and are usually found in intertidal, subtidal, and near-shore reef flat habitats. Individual corals can grow up to 80 cm and typically live on reef flats, in lagoons, or on seaward slopes. The rough leather coral hosts many microorganisms that protect it from pathogens and may also supply nutrients.

Research

Sarcophyton corals are frequently used in pharmaceutical research. S. glaucum produces sarcophytol A, a diterpenoid with tumor-inhibiting bioactivity, and its cembranoids also show tumor-inhibiting effects. Its metabolites have demonstrated antimicrobial, antifungal, and neuroprotective properties. One study concluded that several compounds isolated from this coral could be further investigated for cancer research and treatment.

Other research has found antibacterial properties in the bacteria associated with S. glaucum, including bacteria from the phyla Firmicutes, Gamma proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Chemical analyses of 16 Sarcophyton species revealed a range of biological activities, and the terpenes in this genus protect against insects, pests, inflammation, viruses, and biofouling. S. glaucum is also important in aquaculture. It can be divided into six clades based on mitochondrial protein sequences.

A study on the effects of light intensity found that S. glaucum can grow and survive under low Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) levels. Low PAR did not negatively affect its photobiology, and the concentration of its endosymbionts actually increased under those conditions, suggesting that low light can be used for ex situ culturing.