zooxanthellae

Examples of zooxanthellae in the following topics:

• Class Anthozoa

  • These hermatypic corals rely on a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae.
  • The coral gains photosynthetic capability, while the zooxanthellae benefit by using nitrogenous waste and carbon dioxide produced by the cnidarian host.

• Protists as Primary Producers, Food Sources, and Symbionts

  • For instance, photosynthetic dinoflagellates called zooxanthellae use sunlight to fix inorganic carbon.

• Marine Biomes

  • When bleaching occurs, the reefs lose much of their characteristic color as the algae and the coral animals die if loss of the symbiotic zooxanthellae is prolonged.

• The Role of Species within Communities

  • Corals themselves are not photosynthetic, but harbor symbionts within their body tissues (dinoflagellates called zooxanthellae) that perform photosynthesis; this is another example of a mutualism.