Ricordea yuma is a type of coral. It belongs to the family Ricordeidae and the order Corallimorpharia. Unlike some other corals, it doesn’t make a hard shell.
You can find Ricordea yuma on the sea floor in warm, shallow oceans. It has a big mouth disk and brightly colored tentacles.
Ricordea yuma can make new corals by itself or with a partner. This helps it spread and take over areas quickly. It can even beat out other types of corals after a change in the area.
What Does Ricordea yuma Look Like?
Ricordea yuma is often called a “naked” or “false” coral. This is because it doesn’t have the hard shell that some other corals do. But, it didn’t lose this ability. It never had it to begin with.
The Ricordea yuma coral has a large oral disk, or mouth, covered in tentacles. The tentacles spread out in a spiral shape. The mouth connects to a thin body, with a foot disk at the end.
Ricordea yuma coral is very colorful, and it doesn’t have a skeleton. It can range in size from a few centimeters to a meter in diameter.
Sometimes, the Ricordea yuma coral may be affected by “melting syndrome”. This is where it loses its shape and tentacles and appears to melt. We don’t know why this happens.
Where Does Ricordea yuma Live and What Does It Eat?
Ricordea yuma eats echinoderms, crustaceans, small fishes, and zooplankton. It also gets nutrients by living with Zooxanthelle, a type of dinoflagellate.
The Ricordea yuma coral lives in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific. It’s mostly found on the flat part of the reef. It likes to live in shallow water on the bottom of the ocean.
Ricordea yuma can stop other types of corals from settling in by taking over the area. Things like reef degradation and high nutrient loads can help it grow.
This can give Ricordea yuma an edge when competing with other corals.
How Does Ricordea yuma Reproduce?
Ricordea yuma can reproduce in two ways: sexually and asexually.
In asexual reproduction, the Ricordea yuma coral grows new sections on the edge of its mouth. These sections then break off and become new corals.
This might be why it can take over areas so quickly.
What Is the Closest Relative of Ricordea yuma?
The closest relative to Ricordea yuma is Ricordea florida. These are the only two members of the genus Ricordea.
Ricordea yuma Characteristics
| Temperament: | Semi-aggressive |
| Care Level: | Moderate |
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Hexacorallia |
| Order: | Corallimorpharia |
| Family: | Ricordeidae |
| Genus: | Ricordea |
| Scientific Name: | Ricordea yuma |
| Also Known As: | Ricordea yuma |
| Conservation Status: | Unknown |