Xenia is a genus of photosynthetic soft marine coral in the family Xeniidae. They resemble a mushroom, with "arms" coming out from the top that ends in many-fingered "hands". It is unique among corals because of its ability to use its "hands" to "pulse" or push water away from the colony in a constant, grabbing motion. Common names include fast-pulse Xenia. Species of Xenia are sometimes referred to as pulse corals.
Species
The World Register of Marine Species lists the following species:
- Xenia actuosa <small>Verseveldt & Tursch, 1979</small>
- Xenia amparoi <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia antarctica <small>Kükenthal, 1902</small>
- Xenia bauiana <small>May, 1899</small>
- Xenia crassa <small>Schenk, 1896</small>
- Xenia crispitentaculata <small>Verseveldt, 1977</small>
- Xenia cylindrica <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia danae <small>Verrill, 1869</small>
- Xenia dayi <small>Tixier-Durivault, 1959</small>
- Xenia delicata <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia depressa <small>Kükenthal, 1909</small>
- Xenia distorta <small>Tixier-Durivault, 1966</small>
- Xenia elongata <small>Dana, 1846</small>
- Xenia fimbriata <small>Utinomi, 1955</small>
- Xenia fisheri <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia flava <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia florida <small>(Lesson, 1826)</small>
- Xenia fusca <small>Schenk, 1896</small>
- Xenia garciae <small>Bourne, 1894</small>
- Xenia grasshoffi <small>Verseveldt, 1974</small>
- Xenia hicksoni <small>Ashworth, 1899</small>
- Xenia humilis <small>Verseveldt, 1977</small>
- Xenia intermedia <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia kukenthali <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia kusimotoensis <small>Utinomi, 1955</small>
- Xenia lepida <small>Verseveldt, 1971</small>
- Xenia lillieae <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia medusoides <small>May, 1899</small>
- Xenia membranacea <small>Schenk, 1896</small>
- Xenia mucosa <small>Verseveldt & Tursch, 1979</small>
- Xenia multipinnata <small>(Tixier-Durivault, 1966)</small>
- Xenia multispiculata <small>Kükenthal, 1909</small>
- Xenia nana <small>Hickson, 1930</small>
- Xenia novaebritanniae <small>Ashworth, 1900</small>
- Xenia novaecaledoniae <small>Verseveldt, 1974</small>
- Xenia plicata <small>Schenk, 1896</small>
- Xenia puertogalerae <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia pulsitans <small>Kent, 1893</small>
- Xenia quinqueserta <small>May, 1899</small>
- Xenia rubens <small>Schenk, 1896</small>
- Xenia samoensis <small>Kölliker</small>
- Xenia sansibariana <small>May, 1899</small>
- Xenia schenki <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia sexseriata <small>Verseveldt, 1977</small>
- Xenia spicata <small>Li, 1982</small>
- Xenia stellifera <small>Verseveldt, 1977</small>
- Xenia ternatana <small>Schenk, 1896</small>
- Xenia tripartita <small>Roxas, 1933</small>
- Xenia tumbatuana <small>May, 1898</small>
- Xenia umbellata <small>Lamarck, 1816</small>
- Xenia viridis <small>Schenk, 1896</small>
- Xenia viridus <small>Schenk, 1896</small>
References