Euphyllia ancora

Euphyllia ancora

Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)^[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Class:	Anthozoa
Order:	Scleractinia
Family:	Euphylliidae
Genus:	Euphyllia
Species:	E. ancora
Binomial name
*Euphyllia ancora* Veron & Pichon, 1980

Euphyllia ancora is a species of hard coral in the family Euphylliidae.^[1] It is known by several common names, including anchor coral, sausage coral, hammer coral, ridge coral, and bubble honeycomb coral.^[2]

This type of madreporial colony is easy to identify because of its puffy tubular tentacles with T-shaped tips. The coral is blue-gray to orange in color, sometimes with green on the tentacles. Colonies are usually no more than a meter across, but at times can reach several meters.^[3]

The anchor coral is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific area from the Maldives to the Salomon Islands with a large presence in Indonesia.^[2] It is common in some areas, but it faces several threats that have reduced its overall population. It is overharvested for the aquarium trade. Its coral reef habitat is also degraded and destroyed in many areas.^[1]

Corals and coral reefs

Stony corals	Scleractinia Blue coral Brain coral Elkhorn coral Hermatypic coral Chalice coral Pillar coral Staghorn coral Table coral

Soft corals	Alcyonacea Black coral Bamboo coral Organ pipe coral Sea fans Sea pens

Coral reefs	Atoll reef Cay Fringing reef Microatoll Coral reef fish Census of Coral Reefs The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs Catlin Seaview Survey

Coral regions	List of reefs Deep-water coral African coral reefs Amazon Reef Andros, Bahamas Belize Barrier Reef Coral Sea Islands Coral Triangle Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Great Barrier Reef Maldives Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System New Caledonia Barrier Reef Pulley Ridge Raja Ampat Islands Red Sea Southeast Asian coral reefs

Coral diseases	Coral bleaching Black band disease Skeletal eroding band White band disease White pox disease

Protection	Coral Reef Alliance Coral reef protection Green Fins International Society for Reef Studies Project AWARE Reef Check Reef Ball

Other	Artificial reef Aquaculture of coral Coral dermatitis Precious coral Coral rag Coral reef organizations Coral sand Coralline alga Environmental issues with coral reefs Fire coral Reef resilience Rugosa (extinct) Symbiodinium Tabulata

References

1 2 3 Turak, E., Sheppard, C. & Wood, E. 2008. Euphyllia ancora. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. Downloaded on 03 September 2014.
1 2 (French) Lamare, V. and P. Scaps. Euphyllia ancora Veron & Pichon, 1980. In: Données d'Observations pour la Reconnaissance et l’Identification de la faune et de la flore Subaquatiques (DORIS).
↑ Euphyllia ancora. AIMS Coral Fact Sheets. Australian Institute of Marine Science.

External links

Hoeksema, B. Euphyllia ancora. World Register of Marine Species.

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