: Includes soft corals, sea pens, and sea fans. They strictly possess eight branched (pinnate) tentacles and eight mesenteries. Ecological Importance
(now more commonly known as the class Anthozoa ) is a major group of marine invertebrates within the phylum Cnidaria . This class includes well-known sea creatures like sea anemones, stony corals, soft corals, and sea fans. Key Characteristics actinozoa
: The body consists of a central gastrovascular cavity divided by vertical partitions called mesenteries or septa. These mesenteries increase the surface area for digestion and support the gonads. : Includes soft corals, sea pens, and sea fans
: Unlike many other cnidarians (such as jellyfish), Actinozoans do not have a medusa (free-swimming) stage in their life cycle. They remain as polyps throughout their lives. : Includes soft corals
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