Wikipedia

List of cnidarians of Ireland

There are 302 species of cnidarians (phylum Cnidaria) recorded in Ireland.[1]

The cnidarians' distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that they use mainly for capturing prey. Their bodies consist of mesoglea, a non-living jelly-like substance, sandwiched between two layers of epithelium that are mostly one cell thick. They have two basic body forms: swimming medusae and sessile polyps, both of which are radially symmetrical with mouths surrounded by tentacles that bear cnidocytes. Both forms have a single orifice and body cavity that are used for digestion and respiration. Many cnidarian species produce colonies that are single organisms composed of medusa-like or polyp-like zooids, or both (hence they are trimorphic).[2][3][4]

Cnidarians found in Ireland and Irish waters include sea pens, sea anemones, hydroids, sea jellies ("jellyfish") and corals.

Class Anthozoa

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Order Actiniaria (sea anemones)

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Family Actiniidae

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Actinia fragacea (strawberry anemone)

Family Actinostolidae

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Stomphia coccinea

Family Aiptasiidae

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Family Capneidae

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Family Edwardsiidae

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Family Gonactiniidae

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Family Halcampidae

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Family Halcampoididae

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Family Haloclavidae

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Family Hormathiidae

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Calliactis parasitica living on the shell of a common whelk, occupied by soldier crab.

Family Metridiidae

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Family Sagartiidae

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Order Alcyonacea (soft corals)

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Family Alcyoniidae

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Alcyonium digitatum (dead man's fingers)

Family Gorgoniidae

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Eunicella verrucosa

Family Plexauridae

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Order Ceriantharia (tube-dwelling anemone)

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Family Arachnactidae

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Arachnanthus sarsi, photographed off Rathlin Island

Family Cerianthidae

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Pachycerianthus multiplicatus (firework anemone)

Order Corallimorpharia

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Family Corallimorphidae

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Order Pennatulacea (sea pens)

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Family Virgulariidae

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Order Zoantharia

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Family Epizoanthidae

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Family Parazoanthidae

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Isozoanthus sulcatus in Lough Hyne

Class Hydrozoa

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Order Anthoathecata (athecate hydroids)

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Family Bougainvilliidae

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Bougainvillia muscus

Family Candelabridae

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Family Corymorphidae

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Family Corynidae

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Family Eudendriidae

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Spanish shawl feeding on Eudendrium ramosum

Family Hydractiniidae

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Clava multicornis

Family Hydridae (hydras)

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Family Pandeiidae

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Family Porpitidae (chondrophores)

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Velella velella colony

Family Tubulariidae

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Tubularia indivisa (oaten pipes hydroid)

Order Leptomedusae (thecate hydroids)

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Family Aequoreidae

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Family Aglaopheniidae

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Family Campanulariidae

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Family Haleciidae

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Family Halopterididae

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Family Kirchenpaueriidae

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Family Lafoeidae

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Family Plumulariidae

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Family Sertulariidae

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Order Limnomedusae

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Family Olindiidae

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Craspedacusta sowerbii

Order Siphonophorae (siphonophores)

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Family Apolemiidae

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Apolemia uvaria (string jellyfish)
  • Apolemia uvaria (string jellyfish, barbed wire jellyfish, long stringy stingy thingy)

Family Physaliidae

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Portuguese man-o'-war

Class Scyphozoa (true sea jellies)

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Order Rhizostomeae

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Family Rhizostomatidae

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Rhizostoma pulmo

Order Semaeostomeae (flag-mouth sea jellies)

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Family Cyaneidae

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Cyanea capillata (lion's mane jelly)

Family Pelagiidae

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Family Ulmaridae

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Order Scleractinia (stony corals, hard corals)

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Family Caryophylliidae

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Caryophyllia smithii

Family Oculinidae

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Zigzag coral

Class Staurozoa

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Order Stauromedusae (stalked jellies)

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Family Craterolophidae

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Family Kishinouyeidae

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Family Lucernariidae

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References

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  1. ^ "Irish Biodiversity: a taxonomic inventory of fauna" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  2. ^ "Species Browser".
  3. ^ "Home" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Sea Anemones and Corals - OceanAddicts".
  5. ^ a b "Common Hydra (Hydra vulgaris) - Detail - Biodiversity Maps".
  6. ^ "Craspedacusta sowerbyi - Detail - Biodiversity Maps".
  7. ^ a b "Coral reefs in Irish Waters".
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