Terrazoanthus Reimer & Fujii, 2010

Low, Martyn E. Y., Sinniger, Frederic & Reimer, James Davis, 2016, The order Zoantharia Rafinesque, 1815 (Cnidaria, Anthozoa: Hexacorallia): supraspecific classification and nomenclature, ZooKeys 641, pp. 1-80 : 10-11

Terrazoanthus Reimer & Fujii, 2010

Terrazoanthus Reimer & Fujii, 2010: 20.

Type species.

Terrazoanthus onoi Reimer & Fujii, 2010, by original designation.

Gender.

Masculine.

Diagnosis.

This genus is characterised by being a member of the Hydrozoanthidae that is found on rocky substrates (as opposed to being obligate symbionts with hydrozoans). Some species in this genus are also brightly coloured (see Reimer and Fujii 2010: 20).

Remarks.

Sphincter muscle transitional, with distal half mesogleal and proximal half endodermal, with encrustations to endodermal surface of mesoglea ( Swain and Swain 2014) (=meso-endo transitional [ Swain et al. 2015]), although Terrazoanthus minutus (Duerden, 1898) has a simplified mesogleal sphincter muscle ( Swain et al. 2015).

Described species currently referable to the genus Terrazoanthus are mainly from the East Pacific, with Terrazoanthus minutus from the Caribbean, and it is likely that several more undescribed species exist in the Atlantic (see Reimer et al. 2010a, 2012a) and in the Central Indo-Pacific region ( Reimer et al. 2014b).

The diagnosis of Terrazoanthus is in need of revision with the placement of Terrazoanthus patagonichus (Carlgren, 1898) into this genus by Swain et al. (2015) as this species is associated with hydroids ( McMurrich 1904).