Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California

Compiled & photographed by Gary McDonald, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz

Balanophyllia elegans Verrill, 1864               
Orange Cup Coral
Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Scleractinia: Dendrophylliidae
Geographic Range: Alaska to Mexico. Synonyms:
Back to: Anthozoa Back to: Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 5 Mar 2008.

Description: Body bright orange to yellow, with orangish to nearly clear tentacles which are tapered to tip. May be distinguished from Corynactis californica which lacks a hard skeleton and has capitate tentacles.
Size: The skeleton may be up to about 1cm in diameter.
Notes: This solitary coral is the only true coral that occurs in the intertidal in the Monterey Bay area.

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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 9 Apr 2008.
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 16 Nov 2009.
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 16 Nov 2009.
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 16 Nov 2009. Close-up of single tentacle, showing batteries of nematocysts.

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