About Balanophyllia elegans Verrill, 1864
Balanophyllia elegans Verrill, 1864 is a solitary cup coral species. Most of its polyps are bright orange and measure around 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) in diameter, though a yellow morph also exists. The polyp is large and fleshy, with tapering tentacles that carry clusters of stinging cells. It can retract almost completely into its hard, stony corallite cup. This coral can be easily differentiated from similar-looking corallimorph Corynactis californica by its stony skeleton, and from Caryophyllia alaskensis, another stony coral that shares its habitat, by its brighter coloration; C. alaskensis is beige instead. B. elegans individuals often live close to one another, and populations can reach densities of about 500 individuals per square meter.
This species is native to the western coast of North America, ranging from British Columbia down to Baja California. It inhabits rocky coasts, found from the low intertidal zone down to around 290 meters (950 feet) deep, and can also occur very close to the water surface. It prefers habitats with strong water movement such as surge channels, and often grows in caves and under overhangs; constantly moving water typically carries more nutrients in this environment. It is frequently found living among kelp species like Macrocystis integrifolia.
