Ultra Aussie Cynarina - Cynarina lacrymalis

Known commonly as Doughnut, Knob, Meat or Cat's-eye corals, Cynarina corals are unique specimens for the aquarium.

They are a single polyp coral, with transparent or translucent bubble-like vesicles. The large, toothy skeletal "septa" can be seen clearly beneath the delicate tissue, and care should be taken when placing the coral to avoid damage to the flesh. The tissue may be entirely clear, allowing the underlying colors next to the skeleton to show through, or in some specimens the tissue is tinted green, red, orange, or patterned.

These corals should be placed low in the aquarium in low water movement and given plenty of room for expansion. They are closely related and are often mistaken for Scolymia corals, but unlike Scolymia, Cynarina has larger ridges in the skeleton. Another related coral, Acanthophyllia deshayesiana, was formerly known as a Cynarina but was recently reclassified.