Xenia Coral

Xenia genus

Xenia Coral

Xenia genus

Other Common Names
Pulse Coral, Pulsing Xenia

Connected Coasts

Other Common Names

Pulse Coral, Pulsing Xenia

At the Aquarium

Connected Coasts

Appearance

The colonies of xenia coral are typically 1-4 cm in diameter and 1-4 cm tall. They are sometimes branched with dome-shaped tops, making them appear mushroom shaped. Polyps are located on the upper surface of the top of the colonies.

The tentacles of xenia polyps are long. The stalks of the colony are often colored similarly to the polyps, varying between shades of white, cream, yellow-brown and dark brown.

Habitat

Clear waters from reef flats to about 20 m deep, where slopes aren’t too steep.

Diet

Xenia coral receive most of its nutrients from its relationship with zooxanthellae, which perform photosynthesis and live within the coral.

Life History

IUCN Status

Not Evaluated

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Caphyra laevis, a type of swimming crab, is often found on xenia corals and lives among its polyps.

Research has shown that a species of xenia coral called Xenia umbellata is resistant to warming water temperatures. This is important for future climate change research and understanding how coral reefs are changing.

Common in most regions from the tropical east coast of Africa to the western and central Pacific, with eastern limits being Melanesia and Palau. Extends northward to Japan and south to the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef.

Species of Xenia are the most abundant soft corals in many parts of the northern Red Sea.

This animal is not native to the Oregon Coast, however is found in the larger Pacific Ocean. It lives in the Aquarium as part of our Connected Coasts gallery.

Xenia corals are unique with their ability to use its polyps to “pulse” in a constant grabbing motion.

Citations & Other Resources

Fabricius, K. 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, Townsville, Queensland.

Imbs, A. B., L. P. T. Dang, V. G. Rybin, and V. I. Svetashev. 2015. Fatty Acid, Lipid Class, and Phospholipid Molecular Species Composition of the Soft Coral Xenia sp. (Nha Trang Bay, the South China Sea, Vietnam). Lipids 50:575–589.

Mather, P., I. Bennett, and Australian Coral Reef Society. 1993. A Coral reef handbook: a guide to the geology, flora and fauna of the Great Barrier Reef. 3rd ed. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, NSW.

Thobor, B., A. Tilstra, D. G. Bourne, K. Springer, S. D. Mezger, U. Struck, F. Bockelmann, L. Zimmermann, A. B. Yánez Suárez, A. Klinke, and C. Wild. 2022. The pulsating soft coral Xenia umbellata shows high resistance to warming when nitrate concentrations are low. Scientific reports 12:1–17.

Xenia Coral

Xenia Coral

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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