Renilla reniformis, the sea pansy, is a species of soft coral in the family Renillidae. It is native to warm continental shelf waters of the Western Hemisphere. It is frequently found washed ashore on North East Florida beaches following northeasterly winds or rough surf conditions. It also can often be found living intertidally completely buried in the sand. An important predator is the striped sea slug, Armina tigrina.
Description
The sea pansy is a collection of polyps with different forms and functions. It also produces secondary metabolites for chemical defence that may make it an interesting source of marine natural products.
Genome
A draft genome of R. reniformis was sequenced in 2018, producing a haploid genome size of 172 megabases (Mb). This makes it one of the smallest and most compact coral genomes discovered to date.
References
External links
- Bill Frank, Jacksonville, Florida