species: Hicksonella expansa in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Hicksonella expansa


©Anne Hoggett: Hicksonella expansa at about 20 m depth at North Point, Lizard Island.

©Anne Hoggett: Hicksonella expansa at about 20 m depth at North Point, Lizard Island.

©Anne Hoggett: Hicksonella expansa at North Point, Lizard Island, depth about 21 m.
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Anthozoa
Order Malacalcyonacea
Family Isididae
Genus Hicksonella
Species Hicksonella expansa

Colours

    

Distinguishing features

Grey/brown branching colonies with thick, rubbery leaf-like blades. Polyps can retract completely; mounds around retracted polyp apertures give a knobbly appearance.

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Local abundance

  • Lizard Island: Can be numerous in places, e.g. base of reef slope off Bird Islet.

Web resources

References

  • Fabricius, K. and P. Alderslade (2001). Soft corals and sea fans: A comprehensive guide to the tropical shallow water genera of the central-west Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea Australian Institute of Marine Science and Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Australia.