User:Passer1ne2001/Cynarina lacrymalis

Edit Summary

Lead - I thought this was well fitting. I could not find much information specifically on this coral, so the general description and alternate names we a good lead sentence. However, I did bold "button coral" as it was not in the original, and that seemed like a typo.

Description - Added in some information from the two papers I found that were more specific about physical traits the coral possessed, such as exact numbers of septa and costae as well as measurements. Otherwise, the information was valuable, though I made some minor grammar changes. Inserted a few links where I expanded the description of the Septa and Costa

Distribution and Habitat - Found no information that contradicts any of this, but some that backs up the general habitat information. Added citation to further support info, and some punctuation where necessary.

Biology - Added in some information on the reproductive cycle of the coral. Also did some more grammar changes, trying to make the article read more easily.

Use in Aquaria - This is useful information, but from a less than reliable source. I could not find anything peer-reviewed that covers this, but I will try to find something more official that talks about how this species is handled in aquaria. No immediate changes.

References - Added in the sources I have been using. Looking for more viable sources to replace a few of the ones used previously, as they are a bit less reliable.

General Notes For Further Work - This article needs some more sources and info, but specific research on this coral is sparing. Next step for this draft is trying to find more papers or credible sources to fill in the gaps.

Lead
Cynarina lacrymalis is a species of stony coral in the family Lobophylliidae. It is variously known as the flat cup coral, solitary cup coral, button coral, doughnut coral, or cat's eye coral. It is found in the western Indo-Pacific Ocean and is sometimes kept in reef aquaria.

Description
Cynarina lacrymalis is a large, solitary coral with a single polyp nestling in a corallite, the stony cup it has secreted. It can grow to a diameter of 10 cm (3.9 in) and a height of 8cm (3.1 in). It is cylindrical with a round or oval upper surface. It is usually fixed to rock but has a pointed base and can be embedded in sand or survive unattached. There are twelve broad white radially arranged septa (ridges) joined to the corallite wall, with secondary septa between for a total of 96 septa. The coral's costae alternate between thick and thin depending on the septa they are an extension of. They have large, rounded lobes and the central axial structure (columella) in the corallite is short and broad. The septa can be seen through the transparent, fleshy mantle which contains symbiotic flagellates known as zooxanthellae which give the coral its colour. This is usually pale brown or green, sometimes with a contrasting oral disc, but also sometimes pinkish or bluish. The colour depends on which species of zooxanthella take up residence. The coral has the ability to change its surface from glossy to dull but it is unclear why it does this. At night, when the polyp extends its many tentacles to feed, the coral resembles a sea anemone.

Distribution and habitat
Cynarina lacrymalis is found in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the east coast of Africa and the Seychelles. It is also known from Japan, Indonesia and northern and eastern Australia. It is found on shallow reefs and sandy seabeds with moderate water flow, down to depths of 40 metres (130 ft).

Biology
Cynarina lacrymalis orientates itself so that its cup surface is parallel to the surface to which it is fastened, and sways with the water's flow. During the day, the mantle tissues absorb water and swell up. This increases the area exposed to the light, and may double the coral's diameter. The zooxanthellae are photosynthetic and use sunlight to create organic compounds, which provides most of the coral's energy needs. However, during the night, the tentacles of the polyp are extended to trap planktonic particles floating past and these supplement the nutrition it obtains from photosynthesis.

This coral is a hermaphrodite and reproduces by releasing eggs and sperm into the water where fertilisation takes place. Cynarina lacrimosa begins sex cell development in late summer, around August, and spawns in April. The coral's gonads are contained in the mesentery, but not kept separate. The planula larvae which emerge from the eggs are planktonic and eventually settle on the seabed to undergo metamorphosis into juvenile polyps. Under conditions of poor light, the coral sometimes reproduces asexually, part of the disc becoming detached and growing into a new individual.

Use in aquaria
Cynarina lacrymalis is a hardy coral, tolerant of various environmental conditions, and is suitable for use in a mixed aquarium. It should be firmly secured because when it is swollen with water it becomes heavy. It needs moderate light to provide conditions where its zooxanthellae can flourish and should also be target fed with brine shrimps, cyclops, rotifers, daphnia or other zooplankton.

Cynarina lacyrmalis as a species is used in aquaria. It has been propagated in captivity and is relatively easy to care for, though its slow growth rate makes it a niche species and rather expensive. In captivity, the species needs moderate light and can be supplementally fed with meaty foods like brine shrimp, krill, or chunks of fish. The species is not aggressive but should be kept away from other corals as it could be overtaken.