Discosoma

Discosoma
	A red mushroom coral
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Subphylum:	Anthozoa
Class:	Hexacorallia
Order:	Corallimorpharia
Family:	Discosomidae
Genus:	Discosoma; Rüppell & Leuckart, 1828
Species
	See text
Synonyms
	Actinodiscus de Blainville, 1830;

Discosoma is a genus of cnidarians in the order Corallimorpharia. Common names for the genus include mushroom anemone, disc anemone and elephant ear mushroom.

Most species are disc-shaped and produce large amounts of mucus. There are a great variety of colors, including metallic and fluorescent shades and striped and spotted patterns. Discosoma gather food particles from the water. Some species absorb nutrients produced by zooxanthellae, photosynthetic dinoflagellates living in their tissues in a symbiotic relationship.

Some species are sold commercially in the aquarium trade.

The family of red fluorescent proteins which have applications in molecular biology as reporter proteins was first derived from the species.

There are approximately 11 recognized species:

Discosoma album
Discosoma carlgreni – Forked-tentacle corallimorpharian
Discosoma dawydoffi
Discosoma fowleri
Discosoma fungiforme
Discosoma molle
Discosoma neglecta – Umbrella corallimorpharian
Discosoma nummiforme
Discosoma rubraoris
Discosoma unguja
Discosoma viridescens

References

↑ "Discosoma Rüppell and Leuckart, 1828". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
↑ de Blainville, H. M. D. (1830). Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles (in French). Vol. 60. Strasbourg and Paris: F. G. Levrault. p. 287.
↑ Harmin, Cha (2007). Systematics of the order Corallimorpharia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa). University of Kansas. pp. 83–85. ISBN 978-0-549-13246-2.
1 2 3 4 5 Sprung, J. Aquarium Invertebrates: Mushrooms, Elephants Ears, And False Corals: A Review Of The Corallimorpharia. Advanced Aquarist Volume 1. October 2002.
↑ Lambert, Talley. "DsRed at FPbase". FPbase. Retrieved 2026-10-27.
↑ Fautin, D. G. (2013). Discosoma. World List of Corallimorpharia. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) on 18 March 2018.

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[1] "Discosoma Rüppell and Leuckart, 1828". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2011-12-18.

[2] Blainville, H. M. D. (1830). Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles (in French). Vol. 60. Strasbourg and Paris: F. G. Levrault. p. 287.

[3] Harmin, Cha (2007). Systematics of the order Corallimorpharia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa). University of Kansas. pp. 83–85. ISBN 978-0-549-13246-2.

[sprung-4] 1 2 3 4 5 Sprung, J. Aquarium Invertebrates: Mushrooms, Elephants Ears, And False Corals: A Review Of The Corallimorpharia. Advanced Aquarist Volume 1. October 2002.

[5] Lambert, Talley. "DsRed at FPbase". FPbase. Retrieved 2026-10-27.

[worms-6] Fautin, D. G. (2013). Discosoma. World List of Corallimorpharia. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) on 18 March 2018.