Anthozoa
Enable an agent to recognise Anthozoa, distinguish taxon-level knowledge from observations of polyps and colonies, and assess evidence needed for monitoring or intervention.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
recalled by Codex without web access - no source was read
Researched by: Codex
Purpose and description
Enable an agent to recognise Anthozoa, distinguish taxon-level knowledge from observations of polyps and colonies, and assess evidence needed for monitoring or intervention.
Anthozoa is a class of marine cnidarians comprising sea anemones, corals and their relatives, whose members have a polyp body with a pharynx and internal mesenteries and lack a medusa stage.
It can be Resolve an identification to the lowest defensible anthozoan taxon and preserve uncertainty.; Attach observations to a defined polyp, colony, genet or population without double-counting them.; Compare condition through time using consistent tissue, growth and habitat measurements.; Determine whether evidence supports interpreting colour change as bleaching.; Identify the species, site and permission evidence required before collection, fragmentation or relocation.; Link applicable conservation assessments to their actual taxonomic and geographic subjects..
Distinguishing features
Anthozoa denotes a taxon containing many species; a polyp, colony or local population is an instance at a different biological level.
The anthozoan life cycle lacks a medusa phase; this helps distinguish it from many other cnidarians but is insufficient alone for identification. [Smithsonian sea anemones](https://ocean.si.edu/holding-tank/images-hide/sea-anemones)
Anthozoan polyps have an internal pharynx and mesenteries; recognition should combine internal anatomy, external traits and taxonomic evidence. [Smithsonian-hosted Cnidaria reference](https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/8431/iz_2009_NZ_Chapter_04_Cnidaria.pdf)
Eight pinnate tentacles support octocoral identification, while hexacorals typically have unbranched tentacles; a coral-like appearance alone does not establish Anthozoa membership. [Smithsonian coral overview](https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/corals-and-coral-reefs)
A hard skeleton is not required for membership, and the common name 'coral' also includes hydrozoan fire corals. [Smithsonian coral overview](https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/corals-and-coral-reefs)
Scope
+ Taxonomic circumscription, authority, rank and identifiers under a named classification
+ Anthozoan polyp anatomy and distinctions among included lineages
+ Solitary and colonial organisation, development and reproduction
+ Marine occurrence, substrate, feeding and symbiotic associations
+ Condition assessment and evidence governing conservation or handling decisions
- Hydrozoan fire corals and other non-anthozoan cnidarians
- Coral reefs as complete ecosystems or geological structures
- Standalone models of algal symbionts, pathogens and associated organisms
- Coral skeletons as traded materials, jewellery or construction resources
- Species-specific husbandry protocols and conservation assessments treated as universal Anthozoa properties
Characteristics
- Taxonomic concept
- Accepted name, rank, authority and date, parent taxon, classification source and version Prevents classifications with different ranks or circumscriptions from being silently merged.
- Taxonomy identifier mapping
- Verified WoRMS, GBIF and NCBI identifiers, each with retrieval date and concept match Links observations to the intended taxon without inventing a species binomial for a higher taxon.
- Biological observation unit
- Taxon, population, genet, colony, ramet, polyp, larva or specimen Makes abundance, survival and reproduction measurements interpretable.
- Polyp diagnostic morphology
- Tentacle count and branching, mesenterial arrangement, pharynx evidence; observed or unknown Supports identification beyond colony silhouette or common name.
- Skeletal organisation
- Absent, mineralised framework, sclerites, organic axis, mixed or unresolved Distinguishes structural strategies without equating all anthozoans with stony corals.
- Developmental and reproductive condition
- Life stage, maturity, observed sex or sexual system, reproductive mode and supporting evidence Prevents assumptions about spawning, brooding or visible sexual dimorphism across the whole taxon.
- Occurrence and habitat
- Coordinates, observation date, depth in m, substrate, locality and species-level range interpretation Separates a recorded occurrence from an inferred native range or suitable habitat.
- Photosymbiosis evidence
- Detected, not detected, untested or unresolved; partner identity and method where available Conditions interpretation of light dependence and apparent bleaching.
- Living tissue extent
- Percentage of defined colony surface or sampled area, with method and uncertainty Separates living occupancy from persistent skeletal structure.
- Conservation assessment applicability
- Assessed taxon or population, assessment system, category, year and geographic scope Prevents a species-level threat category from being assigned to Anthozoa as a whole.
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 18 findings · 29 questions.
Taxonomic identity Establish what Anthozoa includes under the classification used.
Rank, lineage placement and common names can otherwise create incompatible identifications.
Accepted concept
Document the classification supporting registry membership.
Classification and authority
Anthozoa requires a higher-taxon concept record rather than a species binomial.
- Which authority, authorship date, rank and circumscription define Anthozoa in the selected backbone? provenance
- Which WoRMS, GBIF and NCBI records match that concept, and when were they checked? provenance
Membership boundaries
Separate included lineages from organisms sharing coral-like forms.
Lineage and lookalike resolution
Identification must distinguish anthozoan membership from vernacular use of 'coral'.
- What evidence assigns this record to an included anthozoan lineage rather than Hydrozoa? boundary
- How does the chosen classification place Ceriantharia and any included fossil groups? definition
Polyp and colony organisation Connect diagnostic anatomy to the biological unit being observed.
Anthozoan observations can describe individual polyps, integrated colonies or genetically related fragments.
Diagnostic anatomy
Record identification characters and their visibility.
Polyp and skeletal characters
Use tentacles, internal anatomy and skeletal characters together where appropriate.
- What tentacle number and branching pattern are visible in expanded polyps? measurement
- Which mesenterial, sclerite or skeletal characters support identification, and which require examination beyond photographs? provenance
Biological individuality
Define the boundaries used for counting and tracking.
Polyp, colony and genet boundary
Physical separation and genetic individuality need separate evidence.
- Does the observation concern a solitary polyp, a connected colony, a detached ramet or a genetically established genet? boundary
- What rule distinguishes colony growth, fragmentation, fusion and recruitment in repeated counts? measurement
Development and reproduction Track life stages and lineage-specific reproductive pathways.
Recruitment, clonal propagation and sexual reproduction have different implications for persistence.
Life-stage transitions
Interpret larvae, settlement and polyp development.
Stage and settlement evidence
Stage assignments must fit the identified lineage rather than an assumed generic coral cycle.
- What observations distinguish a larva, newly settled polyp and established adult in this lineage? definition
- What evidence links observed larvae or recruits to the identified adult taxon? provenance
Sexual and clonal pathways
Distinguish reproductive mode from observed reproductive condition.
Reproductive system and output
Sexual system, dimorphism and propagation mode require taxon-specific evidence.
- Is sex or reproductive maturity established by anatomy, gametes, spawning observations or another validated method? provenance
- Which sexual or asexual processes are documented here, and how are their contributions to recruitment distinguished? measurement
Marine habitat and nutrition Relate occurrence to substrate, water conditions and nutritional associations.
Anthozoa cannot be modelled solely through the habitat requirements of shallow reef-building corals.
Occurrence and substrate
Describe the actual setting of the observed animal or population.
Habitat and range evidence
Maintain separate evidence for occurrence, habitat association and native range.
- At what coordinates, depth and substrate was the living anthozoan recorded, and by what method? measurement
- What evidence establishes native, introduced or uncertain occurrence for the identified species at this location? provenance
Feeding and symbiosis
Record nutritional relationships without assuming photosymbiosis.
Nutritional association evidence
Feeding observations and symbiont detection support different nutritional claims.
- Which feeding behaviours or captured food items have actually been observed? provenance
- Are photosynthetic symbionts demonstrated, and what evidence establishes their identity or nutritional contribution? provenance
Condition and intervention Assess living condition and determine prerequisites for action.
Colour, retained skeleton and colony size alone do not establish health, survival or permission to intervene.
Living condition
Separate observations of tissue and behaviour from diagnoses.
Tissue loss and colour change
Condition interpretation must consider lineage, baseline appearance and symbiosis evidence.
- How much living tissue remains, and how were lesions, exposed skeleton and normal bare surfaces distinguished? measurement
- What baseline and symbiont evidence distinguish bleaching from natural pigmentation, tissue loss or imaging effects? boundary
- Which repeated observations would distinguish transient polyp retraction from sustained deterioration? action
Conservation and handling
Bind assessments and intervention decisions to the correct subject and locality.
Assessment and action applicability
Conservation categories and handling decisions require species, population and site context.
- Which conservation assessment applies to this identified taxon or population, with what year and geographic scope? provenance
- Before collection, fragmentation or relocation, what identification, site permissions, handling requirements and biological evidence must be established? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Check these first
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- This describes a class, so a single accepted binomial, native range or IUCN assessment cannot characterize all its members.
- Verify taxonomic authority, date, numeric database identifiers and current subclass placement before publication.
- Recalled information only; conservation assessments and trade requirements require checking for the particular taxon and jurisdiction.
- Which of these check these first hold for the sense of Anthozoa this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Kinds and varieties
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Sea anemones
- Stony corals
- Soft corals and sea fans
- Black corals
- Sea pens
- Tube anemones
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of Anthozoa this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Scientific zoological name - Anthozoa - A class-level taxon within Cnidaria, not a species binomial.
- WoRMS AphiaID - Numeric taxon identifier - The World Register of Marine Species records marine taxa and their accepted names.
- NCBI Taxonomy - Numeric TaxID - Identifies a taxon associated with sequence records; distinct from identifiers for individual specimens.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of Anthozoa this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- CITES lists stony corals (Scleractinia) and black corals (Antipatharia) in Appendix II, regulating international trade; this does not imply identical coverage for all Anthozoa.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of Anthozoa this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Reef-building corals create habitat and contribute to coastal protection.
- Coral skeletons provide archives used in reconstructing past marine conditions.
- Sea anemones and corals serve as research organisms for development, regeneration and symbiosis.
- Some species are maintained in public and private marine aquaria.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of Anthozoa this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Elevated temperatures can disrupt photosymbiosis and cause bleaching in anthozoans that host photosynthetic symbionts.
- Ocean acidification can impair skeletal formation in calcifying members.
- Sedimentation, pollution and physical disturbance can damage colonies and their habitats.
- Cnidocytes can sting; severity varies substantially among taxa.
- Some zoantharians contain palytoxin and can pose serious exposure hazards during handling.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of Anthozoa this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Anthozoans occur in marine environments worldwide, including polar regions and the deep sea.
- Photosymbiotic reef-building corals are concentrated in warm, shallow tropical and subtropical waters.
- Cold-water corals can form substantial habitats beyond tropical reefs, including in deep water.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of Anthozoa this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Cnidaria - Cnidaria is the encompassing phylum; Anthozoa is one of its constituent classes.
- Hydrozoa - Hydrozoans belong to a separate cnidarian class; anthozoan polyps possess a pharynx and mesenteries and never produce a medusa stage.
- Coral - Coral is a common grouping rather than an exact synonym for Anthozoa: Anthozoa includes sea anemones, while some organisms called corals are hydrozoans.
- Coral reef - A reef is a physical structure and ecological habitat, whereas Anthozoa is a taxonomic group of organisms.
- Anthozoan colony - A colony consists of connected polyps; it is an organismal unit, not the class, a species or a population.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of Anthozoa this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Which current taxonomic backbone should govern Anthozoa's rank, authority and date, and what are its verified WoRMS, GBIF and NCBI identifiers?
- How should differing placements of Ceriantharia and extinct anthozoan groups be represented without implying that all classifications agree?
- Which diagnostic characters reliably support field identification for each major lineage, and where are microscopy or molecular evidence necessary?
- Which lineage-specific rules are needed to distinguish colonies, ramets and genets in abundance and survival records?
- Which species-level range, reproductive, conservation and condition references should be attached first, and what evidence gaps prevent their generalisation?