Phylum of simple, aquatic, mostly marine, invertebrate animals. They include both colonial and solitary forms. Individuals are generally radially symmetrical, with only one opening, the mouth, to the gut. Cnidaria have hydroid and/or medusa forms and bear stinging cells (cnidoblasts) on the tentacles fringing the mouth.
The following taxa of this phylum occur in the region:
Class Anthozoa (Flower-like animals)
Subclass Hexacorallia (stony corals and anemones)
Order Actinaria (Sea anemones)
Order Antipatharia (Black corals)
Order Ceriantharia (Tube anemones)
Order Corallimorpharia (Corallimorphs)
Order Scleractinia (Stony corals)
Order Zoanthidea (Zoanthids)
Subclass Octocorallia (Octocorals)
Order Gorgonacea (Gorgonians)
Order Pennatulacea (Sea pens)
Class Hydrozoa (Hydrozoans)
Order Hydroida (Hydroids)
Order Milliporina (Fire corals)
Order Stylasterina (Lace corals)
Class Scyphozoa (Jellyfish)
Cassiopea frondosa (Upsidedown jelly)
Aiptasia tagetes (Pale anemone)
Bartholomea annulata (Corkscrew anemone)
Bartholomea lucida (Knobby anemone)
Condylactis gigantea (Giant anemone)
Lebrunia coralligens (Hidden anemone)
Lebrunia danae (Branching anemone)
Stichodactyla helianthus (Sun anemone)
Telmatactis americana (Club-tipped anemone)
Antipathes gracilis (Orange sea fan black coral)
Antipathes lenta (Hair net black coral)
Antipathes pennacea (Feather black coral)
Cirrhipathes leutkeni (Wire coral)
Arachnanthus nocturnus (Banded tube-dwelling anemone)
Discosoma sanctithomae (Warty corallimorph)
Pseudocorynactis caribbeorum (Orange ball corallimorph)
Ricordea florida (Florida corallimorph)
Acropora cervicornis (Staghorn coral)
Acropora palmata (Elkhorn coral)
Acropora prolifera (Fused staghorn coral)
Agaricia agaricites (Tan lettuce-leaf coral)
Agaricia fragilis (Fragile saucer coral)
Agaricia grahamae (Graham's sheet coral)
Agaricia lamarcki (Lamarck's sheet coral)
Agaricia undata (Scroll coral)
Astrangia solitaria (Dwarf cup coral)
Caryophyllia spp. (Button cup corals)
Cladocora arbuscula (Robust ivory tree coral)
Colangia immersa (Lesser speckled cup coral)
Colpophyllia natans (Boulder brain coral)
Dendrogyra cylindrus (Pillar coral)
Dichocoenia stokesi (Elliptical star coral)
Diploria clivosa (Knobby brain coral)
Diploria labyrinthiformis (Grooved brain coral)
Diploria strigosa (Symmetrical brain coral)
Eusmilia fastigiata (Smooth flower coral)
Favia fragum (Golfball coral)
Isophyllastrea rigida (Rough star coral)
Isophyllia sinuosa (Sinuous cactus corals)
Leptoseris cucullata (Sunray lettuce coral)
Madracis decactis (Ten-ray star coral)
Madracis formosa (Eight-ray finger coral)
Madracis mirabilis (Yellow pencil coral)
Manicina areolata (Rose coral)
Meandrina meandrites (Maze coral)
Montastrea annularis (Boulder star coral)
Montastrea cavernosa (Great star coral)
Mussa angulosa (Spiny flower coral)
Mycetophyllia spp. (Cactus coral)
Oculina diffusa (Diffuse ivory bush coral)
Phyllangia americana (Hidden cup coral)
Porites astreoides (Mustard hill coral)
Porites branneri (Blue crust coral)
Porites divaricata (Thin finger coral)
Porites furcata (Thin finger coral)
Porites porites (Thick finger coral)
Scolymia spp. (Solitary disk corals)
Siderastrea radians (Shallow-water starlet coral)
Siderastrea siderea (Round starlet coral)
Solenastrea bournoni (Smooth star coral)
Stephanocoenia michelinii (Blushing star coral)
Tubastrea coccinea (Orange cup coral)
Palythoa caribaeorum (White encrusting zoanthid)
Palythoa grandis (Sun zoanthid)
Parazoanthus parasiticus (Sponge zoanthid)
Parazoanthus puertoricense (Maroon sponge zoanthid)
Parazoanthus swiftii (Golden zoanthid)
Zoanthus pulchellus (Mat zoanthid)
Briarium asbestinum (Corky sea finger)
Ellisella barbadensis (Devil's sea whip)
Erythropodium polyanthes (Incrusting gorgonian)
Eunicea calyculata (Warty Eunicea)
Eunicea fusca (Doughnut sea rod)
Eunicea tourneforti (Tournefort's Eunicea)
Gorgonia ventalina (Common sea fan)
Muricea elongata (Orange spiny sea rod)
Muricea muricata (Spiny sea fan)
Muricea pinnata (Long spine sea fan)
Muriceopsis flavida (Rough sea plume)
Plexaura flexuosa (Bent sea rod)
Plexaura homomalla (Black sea rod)
Plexaurella dichotoma (Double-forked Plexaurella)
Plexaurella grisea (Gray Plexaurella)
Plexaurella nutans (Giant slit-pore sea rod)
Pseudoplexaura flagellosa (Flagellate false Plexaura)
Pseudoplexaura porosa (Porous false Plexaura)
Pseudopterogorgia americana (Slimy sea plume)
Pseudopterogorgia bipinnata (Bipinnate sea plume)
Pseudopterogorgia spp. (Sea plumes)
Pterogorgia citrina (Yellow sea whip)
Pterogorgia guadalupensis (Grooved-blade sea whip)
Leptogorgia virgulata (Colorful sea whip)
Virgularia spp. (Sea-pens)
Millepora alcicornis (Branching fire coral)
Millepora complanata (Blade fire coral)
Millepora squarrosa (Box fire coral)
Stylaster roseus (Rose lace-coral)