Coe. 63 Stylaster

            Kingdom         - Animalia

            Phylum            - Cnidaria

            Class                - Hydrozoa 

            Subclass           - Hydroidolina

            Order               - Anthoathecata 

            Family             - Stylasteridae

            Genus              - Stylaster

 Characters:

            Colony consists of upright calcareous pink coloured tree like branches. Surface of the body bears gastropores and dactylopores, arranged in a cyclic manner. Branches of the colony are provided with cup-like projections with radiating septa. Centre of each cup contains tentacle-bearing gastrozooid, surrounded by tentacleless dactylozooids. Dactylozooids are simple and hollow finger-line projection without tentacles arising from peripheral compartments. Cups rest on calcareous projection called as style and hence the name Stylaster. Style in a pointed calcareous projection present at the base of each cup. Cups are without tabulate and rest on a calcareous projection called as style and hence the name stylaster.  Medusae degenerate, forming sporosacs, lying inside the chambers of coral called ampullae. Young one’s escape in planula stage