List of cnidarians of Ireland

There are 302 species of cnidarians (phylum Cnidaria) recorded in Ireland.[1]

The cnidarians' distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that they use mainly for capturing prey. Their bodies consist of mesoglea, a non-living jelly-like substance, sandwiched between two layers of epithelium that are mostly one cell thick. They have two basic body forms: swimming medusae and sessile polyps, both of which are radially symmetrical with mouths surrounded by tentacles that bear cnidocytes. Both forms have a single orifice and body cavity that are used for digestion and respiration. Many cnidarian species produce colonies that are single organisms composed of medusa-like or polyp-like zooids, or both (hence they are trimorphic).[2][3][4]

Cnidarians found in Ireland and Irish waters include sea pens, sea anemones, hydroids, sea jellies ("jellyfish") and corals.

Class Anthozoa

Order Actiniaria (sea anemones)

Family Actiniidae

Actinia fragacea (strawberry anemone)

Family Actinostolidae

Stomphia coccinea

Family Aiptasiidae

Family Capneidae

Family Edwardsiidae

Family Gonactiniidae

Family Halcampidae

Family Halcampoididae

Family Haloclavidae

Family Hormathiidae

Calliactis parasitica living on the shell of a common whelk, occupied by soldier crab.

Family Metridiidae

Family Sagartiidae

Order Alcyonacea (soft corals)

Family Alcyoniidae

Alcyonium digitatum (dead man's fingers)

Family Gorgoniidae

Eunicella verrucosa

Family Plexauridae

Order Ceriantharia (tube-dwelling anemone)

Family Arachnactidae

Arachnanthus sarsi, photographed off Rathlin Island

Family Cerianthidae

Pachycerianthus multiplicatus (firework anemone)

Order Corallimorpharia

Family Corallimorphidae

Order Pennatulacea (sea pens)

Family Virgulariidae

Order Zoantharia

Family Epizoanthidae

Family Parazoanthidae

Isozoanthus sulcatus in Lough Hyne

Class Hydrozoa

Order Anthomedusae (athecate hydroids)

Family Bougainvilliidae

Bougainvillia muscus

Family Candelabridae

Family Corymorphidae

Family Corynidae

Family Eudendriidae

Spanish shawl feeding on Eudendrium ramosum

Family Hydractiniidae

Clava multicornis

Family Pandeiidae

Family Porpitidae (chondrophores)

Velella velella colony

Family Tubulariidae

Tubularia indivisa (oaten pipes hydroid)

Order Leptomedusae (thecate hydroids)

Family Aequoreidae

Family Aglaopheniidae

Family Campanulariidae

Family Haleciidae

Family Halopterididae

Family Kirchenpaueriidae

Family Lafoeidae

Family Plumulariidae

Family Sertulariidae

Order Siphonophorae (siphonophores)

Family Apolemiidae

Apolemia uvaria (string jellyfish)

Family Physaliidae

Portuguese man-o'-war

Class Scyphozoa (true sea jellies)

Order Rhizostomae

Family Rhizostomatidae

Rhizostoma pulmo

Order Semaeostomeae (flag-mouth sea jellies)

Family Cyaneidae

Cyanea capillata (lion's mane jelly)

Family Pelagiidae

Family Ulmaridae

Order Scleractinia (stony corals, hard corals)

Family Caryophylliidae

Caryophyllia smithii

Family Oculinidae

Zigzag coral

Class Staurozoa

Order Stauromedusae (stalked jellies)

Family Craterolophidae

Family Kishinouyeidae

Family Lucernariidae

References

  1. ↑ https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/IWM38.pdf
  2. ↑ "Species Browser".
  3. ↑ http://www.iws.ie/_fileupload/advice/id_card_for_website.pdf
  4. ↑ "Sea Anemones and Corals - OceanAddicts".
  5. 1 2 "Coral reefs in Irish Waters".

External links

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