{{Short description|Genus of corals}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = red-mushroom-coral.jpg | image_caption = A red mushroom coral | taxon = Discosoma | authority = Rüppell & Leuckart, 1828<ref>{{ITIS|id=719026|taxon=''Discosoma'' Rüppell and Leuckart, 1828|accessdate=2011-12-18}}</ref> | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text | synonyms = * ''Actinodiscus'' <small>de Blainville, 1830</small><ref>{{cite book|last=de Blainville|first=H. M. D.|year=1830|title=Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles|language=French|volume=60|publisher=F. G. Levrault|location=Strasbourg and Paris|page=287}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Harmin|first=Cha|year=2007|title=Systematics of the order Corallimorpharia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa)|publisher=University of Kansas|isbn=978-0-549-13246-2|pages=83–85}}</ref> }} [[file:Discosoma nummiforme - Kew 1.jpg|thumb|right|''Discosoma nummiforme'']] '''''Discosoma''''' is a genus of cnidarians in the order Corallimorpharia. Common names for the genus include '''mushroom anemone''', '''disc anemone''' and '''elephant ear mushroom'''.<ref name=sprung>Sprung, J. [https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/10/inverts Aquarium Invertebrates: Mushrooms, Elephants Ears, And False Corals: A Review Of The Corallimorpharia.] ''Advanced Aquarist'' Volume 1. October 2002.</ref>
Most species are disc-shaped and produce large amounts of mucus.<ref name=sprung/> There are a great variety of colors, including metallic and fluorescent shades and striped and spotted patterns.<ref name=sprung/> ''Discosoma'' gather food particles from the water. Some species absorb nutrients produced by zooxanthellae, photosynthetic dinoflagellates living in their tissues in a symbiotic relationship.<ref name=sprung/>
Some species are sold commercially in the aquarium trade.<ref name=sprung/>
The red fluorescent protein {{chem name|dTomato}} which has applications in molecular biology as a reporter protein was first derived from the species.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fpbase.org/protein/dtomato/|title=dTomato at FPbase|last=Lambert|first=Talley|website=FPbase|language=en|access-date=2019-03-27}}</ref>
There are approximately 11 recognized species:<ref name=worms>Fautin, D. G. (2013). [http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=267394 ''Discosoma''.] World List of Corallimorpharia. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) on 18 March 2018.</ref> *''Discosoma album'' *''Discosoma carlgreni'' – Forked-tentacle corallimorpharian *''Discosoma dawydoffi'' *''Discosoma fowleri'' *''Discosoma fungiforme'' *''Discosoma molle'' *''Discosoma neglecta'' – Umbrella corallimorpharian *''Discosoma nummiforme'' *''Discosoma rubraoris'' *''Discosoma unguja'' *''Discosoma viridescens''
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:Discosomidae Category:Hexacorallia genera
{{Hexacorallia-stub}}