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Trees- ShrubsSunset Cup Coral ( Leptopsammia pruvoti )
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Leptopsammia pruvoti is a coral that can reach up to 8cm high (1; 2); it has a porous, calcareous skeleton (3; 4), with a tentacular polyp emerging from it (4). The tentacles are quite long, and number approximately 96 (4; 5); when retracted, the tentacles are difficult to see within the skeleton (4). The sunset cup coral is a bright yellow, orange colour.
There are 10 species within the genus Leptopsammia (6).
The sunset cup coral is typically solitary (7), although in some occasions it has been found in small groups forming pseudo-colonies (4; 5).
L. pruvoti lives in shallow waters, mainly in caves and other low-lit areas, as it is light-sensitive (1; 2; 3); it can be found from 10-40m (1; 4; 5).
The sunset cup coral becomes sexually mature when the polyps reach 3mm in length; fertilisation occurs in January-April and the planulation in May-June. Seasonal variations in water temperature and photoperiod may have played an important role in regulating reproductive events (7).
L. pruvoti is found within the north-east Atlantic, along European coasts from Portugal to southern England, and in the Mediterranean (3; 7).
The sunset cup coral is azooxanthellate (8).
Not listed under the IUCN Redlist (9).
Description written by Ben Harvey (2009)
(1) Wirtz, P., Debelius, H. 2003. Mediterranean and Atlantic Invertebrate Guide. Hackenheim: ConchBooks. 307pp.
(2) Wood, L., 2002. Sea Fishes and Invertebrates of the Mediterranean Sea. London: New Holland Publishers Ltd.
(3) UK Biodiversity Group Tranche 2 Action Plans – Volume V: Maritime species and habitats (October 1999, Tranche 2, Vol V, p87)
(4) Jackson, A. 2008. Leptopsammia pruvoti. Sunset cup coral. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 31/08/2009]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesinformation.php?speciesID=3657>
(5) Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C., 2009. [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. http://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D14160
(6) ITIS, 2009. ITIS Standard Report Page: Leptopsammia. Available at: http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=53846 [Accessed 31 August 2009].
(7) Goffredo, S., Airi, V. Radetic, J. Zaccanti, F. 2006. Sexual reproduction of the solitary sunset cup coral Leptopsammia pruvoti (Scleractinia, Dendrophylliidae) in the Mediterranean. 2. Quantitative aspects of the annual reproductive cycle. Marine Biology, 148 (5):923-931.
(8) Hoeksema, B. (2009). Leptopsammia pruvoti Lacaze-Duthiers, 1897. Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=135193 on 2009-08-31
(9) IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 31 August 2009.
