Limu-make-o-hana
Palythoa toxica, also referred to by its Hawaiian common name, limu-make-o-Hana ('seaweed of death from Hana'), is a species of zoanthid native to Hawaii. It is notable as the species in which palytoxin was discovered and from which it was first isolated.
Se
SedentarySedentary animals lead such a type of lifestyle in which little to or no physical activity is done. These are mostly marine bottom-dwelling animals...
Ov
OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
P
starts withP. toxica is an encrusting species with a firm, tough cuticle. The polyps are partially embedded in a cushiony mat of coenenchyme which grows across the rock surface, and which incorporates sand grains and fragments of debris. The oral disc of each polyp is broad and has a fringe of tentacles. The polyps can close up and be retracted into the coenenchyme, which then displays a pitted surface. The colour of this species is variable but is usually some shade of cream, grey or pale brown.
P. toxica was first discovered in the small district of Muolea on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Its habitat was a shallow pool about 10 in (25 cm) deep which was subject to inflows of fresh water during periods of heavy rainfall, so it would appear to be a euryhaline species. The zoanthid has since been discovered in a few other locations in the Hawaiian islands.
