| Stylasteridae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stylaster nobilis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Hydrozoa |
| Order: | Anthoathecata |
| Suborder: | Filifera |
| Family: | Stylasteridae Gray, 1847 |
| Genera | |
|
See text | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Stylasteridae, also known as lace corals, is a family of colonial hydrozoans with a calcified skeleton. They first appeared 65 million years ago in deep waters. About 10% of the species have adapted to live in water less than 50 metres (164 feet) deep. The rest are found in deeper water, most commonly between 200 and 400 metres (656 and 1,312 feet), with the deepest known species observed at a depth of 2,789 metres (9,150 feet).
In shallow reefs the Stylasteridae can grow up to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) tall and 30 centimetres (12 in) wide, but some species in deeper waters can reach 1 metre (3 ft 3 in).[clarification needed]
