I would like to reach out to the coral reef research community to find out if anyone is (or was) working on benthic ctenophores, Coeloplana spp., associated with soft corals. Some 26 years ago while working on “The Ecology of the Indonesian Seas” we observed long sticky strands steaming from soft corals. These strands were streaming mainly from Sinularia spp. in areas with strong currents (0.5.m/sc). The sticky stands were extended from the surface of the soft corals and then reeled in once plankton or other suspended material became attached to them. I have done many dives, but I have never seen this type of activity associated with Sinularia spp. during daylight hours. Initially I thought that these strands originate from the soft corals themselves, but I think that they are actually the feeding tentacles of benthic ctenophores that are associated with some of these soft corals. I would like to find out if anyone else has observed this during their field observations and if they know which species of ctenophores were involved. I am attaching a short video of this activity.
Tomas
Hi Tom,
Hi Tom,
Here are papers that could be relevant for you:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-06505-4
Article Four new species and three new records of benthic ctenophore...
best wishes,
Bert
Hi Tom - I have also seen this on Sinularia corals held in large aquaria. The ctenophores were Coeloplana sp.
We recently published work on another benthic ctenophore, Lyrocteis imperatoris, in the Philippines, and in aquaria. You can find links to the articles on my RG page.
Best,
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