Sarcophyton is a genus of soft corals in the family Alcyoniidae that are commonly kept in reef aquaria. Sarcophyton produces the toxic terpene macrolide sarcophytoxide which serves as an antifeedant and also provides advantage in competition with other corals as it reduces photosynthesis of the coral Acropora formosas endosymbionts. However, the false cowry Ovula ovum is a predator of Sarcophyton, with a probable ability to detoxify sarcophytoxide in its intestines.
Species The following species currently are classified in the genus Sarcophyton:
Sarcophyton aalbersbergi Feussner & Waqa, 2013 Sarcophyton acutangulum (v. Marenzeller, 1886) Sarcophyton acutum Tixier-Durivault, 1970 Sarcophyton agaricum (Stimpson, 1855) Sarcophyton aldersladei Feussner & Waqa, 2013 Sarcophyton alexanderi Feussner & Waqa, 2013 Sarcophyton auritum Verseveldt & Benayahu, 1978 Sarcophyton birkelandi Verseveldt, 1978 Sarcophyton boettgeri Schenk, 1896 Sarcophyton boletiforme Tixier-Durivault, 1958 Sarcophyton buitendijki Verseveldt, 1982 Sarcophyton cherbonnieri Tixier-Durivault, 1958 Sarcophyton cinereum Tixier-Durivault, 1946 Sarcophyton contortum Pratt, 1905 Sarcophyton cornispiculatum Verseveldt, 1971 Sarcophyton crassocaule Moser, 1919 Sarcophyton crassum Tixier-Durivault, 1946 Sarcophyton digitatum Moser, 1919 Sarcophyton ehrenbergi (v. Marenzeller, 1886) Sarcophyton elegans Moser, 1919 Sarcophyton expandum Kõlliker Sarcophyton flexuosum Tixier-Durivault, 1966 Sarcophyton furcatum Li, 1984 Sarcophyton gemmatum Verseveldt & Benayahu, 1978 Sarcophyton glaucum (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833) Sarcophyton griffini Moser, 1919 Sarcophyton infundibuliforme Tixier-Durivault, 1958 Sarcophyton latum (Dana, 1846) Sarcophyton mililatensis Verseveldt & Tursch, 1979 Sarcophyton minusculum Samimi Namin & van Ofwegen, 2009 Sarcophyton nanwanensis Benayahu & Perkol-Finkel, 2004 Sarcophyton nigrum May, 1899 Sarcophyton pauciplicatum Verseveldt & Benayahu, 1978 Sarcophyton portentosum Tixier-Durivault, 1970 Sarcophyton pulchellum (Tixier-Durivault, 1957) Sarcophyton regulare Tixier-Durivault, 1946 Sarcophyton roseum Pratt, 1903 Sarcophyton serenei Tixier-Durivault, 1958 Sarcophyton skeltoni Feussner & Waqa, 2013 Sarcophyton soapiae Feussner & Waqa, 2013 Sarcophyton solidum Tixier-Durivault, 1958 Sarcophyton spinospiculatum Alderslade & Shirwaiker, 1991 Sarcophyton spongiosum Thomson & Dean, 1931 Sarcophyton stellatum Kükenthal, 1910 Sarcophyton stolidotum Verseveldt, 1971 Sarcophyton subviride Tixier-Durivault, 1958 Sarcophyton tenuispiculatum (Thomson & Dean, 1931) Sarcophyton tortuosum Tixier-Durivault, 1946 Sarcophyton trocheliophorum von Marenzeller, 1886 Sarcophyton tumulosum Benayahu & van Ofwegen, 2009 Sarcophyton turschi Verseveldt, 1976
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