52. TAillepora alcicornis Linnaeus. 



The ''stinging coral" is not a true coral, but is in- 

 cluded here on account of its superficial similarity and 

 its extensive distribution throughout the whole of the 

 western Atlantic coral reef area. The general form 

 varies from an encrusting growth over dead sea whips 

 or shells, to a branching structure, which may grow 

 out from the encrustation. The branches may resemble 

 the staghorn coral, Acropora palmaia in miniature. 

 Sometimes a flattened frondlike or handlike growth 

 takes place. The entire surface is covered with minute 

 holes, barely visible to the naked eye, arranged in 

 numerous groups of five smaller ones around a central 

 larger one. Though these holes project the small 

 polyps. The larger gastrozooids or feeding polyps pro- 

 ject through the larger holes and the slimmer club- 

 ended dactylozooids or stinging polyps arise from the 

 smaller holes. The color varies from light orange yel- 

 low to dark brown. 



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