CLASSIFICATION OF TELESTO
PHYLUM :- COELENTRATA (Tissue grade, diploblastic and acoelomate. )
CLASS :- ANTHOZOA OR ACTINOZOA (Only polypoid generation. sedentary, solitary, colonial.)
SUB-CLASS :- OCTOCORALLIA (Polyps with 8 tentacles, bioluminescent. )
ORDER :- TELESTACEA (Simple or branched stem.)
GENUS :- Telesto
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
Found along Atlantic coast.
HABIT AND HABITAT
Telesto is a marine sedentary and colonial Actinozoa.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF TELESTO
- Colony consist of simple or branched stem. which arises from a creeping base.
- Stem is formed by elongation of a single polyp.
- Stem bears lateral polyps with alternate arrangement and vertical tubes.
- Lateral polyps originated by way of solenial networks as in Pennatulacea.
- Spicules may be somewhat united by calcareous and horny secretions. tube
- Another telestacean genus differs from Telesto in having branched colony resembling a gorgonian.
IDENTIFICATION
- The animal bears lateral polyps with alternate arrangements and all above characters, hence it is Telesto.
References
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