Elegant Leather Coral
IUCN
LC
Basic Information
Scientific classification
- name：Elegant Leather Coral
- Scientific Name：Sarcophyton elegans
- Outline：Echinodermata
- Family：Alcyoniidae Sarcophyton
Vital signs
- length：Disc 10–30 cm; up to 40–60+ cm
- Weight：Colony mass varies; no standard figure
- lifetime：Long‑lived colonial soft coral
Feature
Photosymbiotic leather coral; periodic sloughing; sexual & asexual reproduction; readily aquacultured by fragging.
Distribution and Habitat
Indo‑Pacific reef flats, lagoons and upper slopes (≈1–25 m) with moderate flow.
Appearance
Mushroom‑like stalk and disc; bright yellow‑cream tones; dense retractile polyps forming a floral carpet.
Details
Sarcophyton elegans is an Indo‑Pacific leather (toadstool) soft coral in family Alcyoniidae. Colonies have a stout stalk and a flat to cup‑shaped disc densely covered by retractile polyps. It hosts Symbiodiniaceae, deriving most energy from photosynthesis and supplementing with suspended particulates.
Ecology & Biology
Nutrition: photosymbiosis plus capture of micro‑zooplankton/POC.
Reproduction: sexual spawning/planulation and asexual fission/fragmentation; widely aquacultured by fragging.
Self‑cleaning: periodic sloughing of the outer layer to shed films/sediments; temporary closure is normal.
Identification
Mushroom‑like silhouette with slightly upturned disc margins; colours often golden‑yellow, cream, beige. Compared with S. glaucum, S. elegans tends to show brighter yellow tones and a more even disc; definitive ID may require sclerite microscopy.
Colony size & Longevity
Disc diameter: typically 10–30 cm; up to 40–60+ cm.
Height: ~8–30 cm.
Life: long‑lived on stable reefs; multi‑year to decades.
Range & Habitat
Tropical Indo‑Pacific reefs—reef flats, lagoons and upper outer‑reef slopes (≈1–25 m) with moderate flow to clear sediments.
Threats & Conservation
Stressors: warming/bleaching, sedimentation/turbidity, pollution, severe storms.
Trade: aquarium collection may affect local stocks; ex situ aquaculture reduces wild harvest needs.
IUCN: generally Not Evaluated (NE) at species level; protection via MPAs, water‑quality control and sustainable trade.
FAQ
Q1. Why does it look dull or closed? Likely in a sloughing phase for self‑cleaning; should reopen within days.
Q2. What light/flow does it prefer? Moderate–strong light and moderate flow for colour and sediment removal.
Q3. Is propagation feasible? Yes—routine fragging with clean cuts and healing flow.
Q4. How to distinguish from other Sarcophyton? Use colour, disc shape and polyp density; confirm with sclerites if needed.
Similar animals
Sea Anemones
Actiniaria (sea anemones) are anthozoan cnidarians that are typically solitary and lack a calcareous skeleton.The body comprises a pedal disc, column, oral disc and a crown of tentacles armed with nematocysts for prey capture.Many species form mutualisms with zooxanthellae and/or symbiotic fishe...
Lobed Flowerpot Coral
Goniopora lobata is a classic “flowerpot coral” in family Poritidae (order Scleractinia).Its polyps bear long, flower‑like tentacles that extend en masse by day, giving the colony a blooming appearance.It hosts zooxanthellae (Symbiodiniaceae) for photosynthesis and also captures micro‑zoopla...
Open Brain Coral
Trachyphyllia geoffroyi, the open brain coral, is a classic large‑polyp stony coral (LPS).Adults are often free‑living on sand or rubble in lagoons and back reefs (juveniles may begin attached, then detach later).It hosts zooxanthellae (Symbiodiniaceae), relying on photosynthesis by day and ex...
Carnation Soft Coral
Dendronephthya sp. (carnation/tree soft corals) are azooxanthellate octocorals that rely onsuspension feeding rather than photosynthesis. They thrive in moderate–strong currents and capture plankton and organic particulates,displaying vivid colours (red, pink, orange, yellow, white, purple).Ecolo...
Yellow Sea Fan
Subergorgia suberosa, commonly called the yellow sea fan, is a gorgonian‑type soft coral(Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) forming planar, fan‑shaped colonies. Branches spread within a single plane to maximizeexposure to prevailing currents for suspension feeding on plankton and organic particles.Ecol...
Bubble Coral
Plerogyra sinuosa, commonly called the bubble coral, is a photosymbiotic reef‑building coral in the familyEuphylliidae. By day the surface is covered with inflated, translucent vesicles (“bubbles”); at night the vesicles deflate andthe colony extends feeding tentacles. It hosts Symbiodiniaceae,...
Elegant Honeycomb Coral
Favia speciosa (also cited as Dipsastraea speciosa) is a photosymbiotic, reef‑building stony coral.It harbours zooxanthellae (Symbiodiniaceae) for most of its energy and supplements this with nocturnal particle/zooplankton capture.Colonies are typically massive to sub‑hemispherical with clearl...
Elegant Leather Coral
Sarcophyton elegans is an Indo‑Pacific leather (toadstool) soft coral in family Alcyoniidae.Colonies have a stout stalk and a flat to cup‑shaped disc densely covered by retractile polyps. It hosts Symbiodiniaceae,deriving most energy from photosynthesis and supplementing with suspended particu...
Email: jsset668#gmail.com (change # to @) Please indicate your purpose of visit! Guangdong ICP No. 2022053326 XML| map| Chinese
