Stylasterids

Stylasterids are a family of marine invertebrates belonging to the order Anthoathecata. They are commonly known as lace corals or hydrocoral. Stylasterids are characterized by their stony skeletons, which are typically branching and often exhibit intricate, lace-like structures. These skeletons are composed of calcium carbonate.

They are colonial cnidarians, meaning each individual is a colony of zooids. The individual polyps within the colony are dimorphic, consisting of gastrozooids responsible for feeding and dactylozooids which are specialized for defense and prey capture. Stylasterids are found in oceans worldwide, from shallow tropical waters to the deep sea. They often inhabit rocky substrates and can form significant reef structures in some environments.

Their diet consists primarily of plankton captured using their nematocyst-laden tentacles. Reproduction in stylasterids can be both sexual and asexual. The life cycle typically involves a free-swimming planula larva that settles and develops into a new colony. Some species are bioluminescent. Their stony skeletons make them important contributors to the structural complexity of their habitats.