Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Devonshire Cup Coral Caryophyllia smithii
While most corals grow as colonies in tropical waters, the Devonshire cup coral is solitary and lives in temperate parts of the ocean. It grows with its cup-shaped skeleton attached to a rock or even a shipwreck. When the tentacles are expanded, these tiny corals look just like anemones, with each tapering, transparent tentacle ending in a small knob. Devonshire cup coral occurs in a variety of colors from white to orange.
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- Class Anthozoa
- Diameter 1 in (3 cm)
- Depth 0–330 ft (0–100 m)
- Habitat Rocks and wrecks
- Distribution Northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean
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