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

Family Actiniidae

Actinia fragacea (strawberry anemone)

Family Actinostolidae

Family Aiptasiidae

Family Capneidae

  • Capnea sanguinea

Family Edwardsiidae

Family Gonactiniidae

Family Halcampidae

  • Halcampa chrysanthellum

Family Halcampoididae

  • Halcampoides elongatus

Family Haloclavidae

Family Hormathiidae

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

Family Metridiidae

Family Sagartiidae

Family Alcyoniidae

Alcyonium digitatum (dead man's fingers)

Family Gorgoniidae

Family Plexauridae

Family Arachnactidae

Family Cerianthidae

Family Corallimorphidae

Family Virgulariidae

Family Epizoanthidae

  • Epizoanthus couchii

Family Parazoanthidae

Class Hydrozoa

Family Bougainvilliidae

Family Candelabridae

  • Candelabrum phrygium

Family Corymorphidae

Family Corynidae

Family Eudendriidae

Family Hydractiniidae

Family Hydridae (hydras)

Family Pandeiidae

  • Leuckartiara octona
  • Neoturris pileata

Family Porpitidae (chondrophores)

Family Tubulariidae

Tubularia indivisa (oaten pipes hydroid)

Family Aequoreidae

Family Aglaopheniidae

  • Aglaophenia acacia
  • Aglaophenia kirchenpaueri
  • Aglaophenia pluma (toothed feather hydroid, podded hydroid)
  • Aglaophenia tubiformis
  • Aglaophenia tubulifera
  • Gymnangium montagui
  • Lytocarpia myriophyllum

Family Campanulariidae

Family Haleciidae

Family Halopterididae

  • Antennella secundaria
  • Halopteris catharina
  • Schizotricha frutescens

Family Kirchenpaueriidae

  • Kirchenpaueria pinnata

Family Lafoeidae

  • Lafoea dumosa

Family Plumulariidae

  • Nemertesia antennina
  • Nemertesia ramosa
  • Plumularia argentea
  • Plumularia cupressina
  • Plumularia distans
  • Plumularia setacea (plumed hydroid, little sea bristle)
  • Polyplumaria flabellata

Family Sertulariidae

  • Abietinaria abietina
  • Abietinaria filicula
  • Amphisbetia operculata
  • Diphasia alata
  • Diphasia attenuata
  • Diphasia fallax
  • Diphasia nigra
  • Diphasia pinaster
  • Diphasia rosacea
  • Dynamena pumila
  • Hydrallmania falcata
  • Sertularella fusiformis
  • Sertularella gayi
  • Sertularella mediterranea
  • Sertularella polyzonias
  • Sertularella rugosa
  • Tamarisca tamarisca
  • Thuiaria articulata (jointed hydroid)
  • Thuiaria thuja

Family Olindiidae

Family Apolemiidae

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

Family Physaliidae

Class Scyphozoa (true sea jellies)

Family Rhizostomatidae

Family Cyaneidae

Cyanea capillata (lion's mane jelly)

Family Pelagiidae

Family Ulmaridae

Family Caryophylliidae

Family Oculinidae

Class Staurozoa

Family Craterolophidae

  • Craterolophus convolvulus

Family Kishinouyeidae

  • Lucernariopsis campanulata

Family Lucernariidae

References

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