xenia is a genus of photosynthetic soft marine coral resembling a mushroom , with " arms " coming out from the top that end in many-fingered " hands " .

it is unique among corals because of its ability to use its " hands " to " pulse " or push water away from the colony in a constant , grabbing motion .

common names include : xenia elongata , fast-pulse xenia , xenia is sometimes referred to a pulse corals .

xenia ( genus )

genus has been propagated in captivity , and acquiring these types of specimens is a good idea , since they are hardier than their wild counterparts . some aquacultured names are white pom pom xenia , silver branch pumping xenia , and blue xenia .
studies in the genus , typha : i . metaxenia , xenia , and heterosis . ii . i
by leland c . marsh
pink & white redsea xenia ( umballata ) - the fastest pulsating of all xenia species . silver / green pumping xenia ( elongata ) - extremely fast pulsing , grows fast . waving hand pom pom xenia - so named for it ' s arm - like stalk , topped by a pom pom like top .
species to the new genus . those assignments were made based on examination of type colonies of
xenia is a genus of photosynthetic soft marine coral resembling a mushroom , with
arms
coming out from the top that end in many - fingered
hands
.
i saw this soft coral colony , of the genus xenia , in the egyptian red sea ; each many tentacled polyp feeding at the end of a smooth unbranched stalk .
three new xenicane diterpenoids , xeniaol , xeniadiol and xeniatriol , were isolated from the okinawan soft coral of the genus , xenia . their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis .
xenia nana ; benayahu 1990 : 117–118 , fig . 3 , table 1 .
genus was described by lamarck in 1816 . there are over 60 species , and a few are
a revision of the octocoral genus ovabunda alderslade , 2001 ( anthozoa , octocorallia , xeniidae ) .
. some common names these corals are know for are pulse coral , red sea xenia , pulsing xenia , encrusting coral , pom pom coral , and bouquet encrusting coral .
list of xenia type material examined during the current study along with corresponding museum numbers .
xenia ainex reinicke , 1997 : 45–48 , figs 19a–b , plates 6 , 26 .
xenia hamsina reinicke , 1997 : 49 - 50 ; figs 20a–b , plate 30 .
a new genus of a soft coral of the family xeniidae ( cnidaria : octocorallia ) from japan .
a new genus of nephtheid soft corals ( octocorallia : alcyonacea : nephtheidae from the indo - pacific .
the structure of xenia hicksoni nov . sp . with some observations on heteroxenia elizabethae kölliker .
a revision of the octocoral genus ovabunda ( alderslade , 2001 ) ( anthozoa , octocorallia , xeniidae ) .
xenia crista reinicke , 1997 : 38 , figs 16a–b , plate 23 , syn . n .
xenia crenata reinicke , 1997 : 41–42 , figs 3c , 15 ; plates 5 , 25 .
studies in the genus , typha : i . metaxenia , xenia , and heterosis . ii . interspecific hybridization and the origin of typha glauca . iii . autecology , with special reference to the role of aerenchyma
while retaining those with the dendritic surface in the original genus . consequently , he assigned seven of the originally described
xenia arabica reinicke , 1995 : 37 , figs 47–49 ; 1997 : 36 , fig . 14 .
xenia miniata reinicke , 1997 : 39–40 figs 17a - b , plate 24 , syn . n .
xeniidae ( coelenterata : octocorallia ) of the red sea with descriptions of six new species of xenia .
a revision of the octocoral genus ovabunda alderslade , 2001 ( anthozoa , octocorallia , xeniidae ) . - pubmed - ncbi
a new species of the genus anthelia ( octocorallia : alcyonacea ) from the gulf of aqaba ( red sea ) .
most xeniids feature a high density of sclerites in all parts of the colony , such as members of the genera asterospicularia utinomi , 1951 ; sansibia alderslade , 2000 ( see fabricius and alderslade 2001 ) and xenia including xenia blumi schenk , 1896 ; xenia garciae bourne , 1894 ( see gohar 1940 ) and xenia benayahui reinicke , 1995 ( see reinicke 1997 ) ; while other species have no sclerites or only a few ( e . g . , xenia hicksoni ashworth , 1899 and heteroxenia ghardaqensis gohar , 1940 ) .
reinicke ( 1997 ) noted under the description of xenia obscuronata ( p . 33 ) : “nec xenia ternatana ; kükenthal 1913 : 8 ( in part ) ” . the type of xenia ternatana was examined during the present study and its features do not agree with those of ovabunda obscuronata . xenia ternatana features platelets composed of dendritic rods , measuring up to 0 . 022 mm in maximal diameter . it should be noted that the description of xenia ternatana by kükenthal also does not correspond to the features of ovabunda obscuronata .
the frugal reefer , you can mass produce xenia for trade or sale , garf . org , referenced 2010
xeniidae ( coelenterata : octocorallia ) of the red sea , with descriptions of six new species of xenia .
reinicke ( 1997 ) noted under the species xenia ainex n . sp . ( p . 44 ) : “nec xenia ternatana ; kükenthal 1913 : 8 ( partim . nhmw 2250 ) ” and “ xenia crassa ; reinicke 1995 : 43 , fig . 32” . the description of xenia ternatana given by kükenthal ( 1913 ) indicated two rows of pinnules , with 18 pinnules on average , and sclerites measuring 0 . 017 mm in diameter , thus differing from the features of ovabunda ainex ( see above ) . the nhmw 2250 specimen of xenia ternatana was examined and found to match ovabunda ainex , as stated by reinicke ( 1997 ) . xenia crassa was suggested to be a synonym of ovabunda ainex ( reinicke 1997 ) . the current examination of the types of xenia crassa and xenia ternatana indicates that their sclerites distinctly differ from those of ovabunda ainex , and thus those species’ original generic assignment should be retained .
sclerites reveal the morphological features of the sclerites , composed of corpuscular microscleres that are diagnostic for that genus . the current findings reveal that
on the structure and affinities of heliopora coerulea , pallas . with some observations on the structure of xenia and heteroxenia .
one of the attractive white xeniids known as
pom - pom
xenia , or
xenia umbellata ,
this variety can be adaptable but fares best under moderate to bright illumination ( with slow acclimatization ) . photo courtesy of greg rothschild .
xenia verseveldti benayahu , 1990 : 115–116 , fig . 2 , table 1 ; reinicke 1997 : 29–30 , plate 16 .
* alderslade established a new and similar looking genus , sansibia in 2000 . data on this genus is presently limited , but some pictures of sansibia look grossly similar to xeniid varieties known from the aquarium trade . sansibia is noted as having high concentrations of zooxanthellae and occurring in turbid waters .
) , including sem of their sclerites , has furnished the required data for revision of that genus ( halászet al . in prep . ) .
xenia benayahui reinicke , 1995 : 26–27 , figs 1c , 15 ; 1997 : 29 , fig . 12 , plate 16 .
a study of the xeniidae ( octocorallia , alcyonacea ) collected on the “tyro” expedition to the seychelles with a description of a new genus and species .
xenia macrospiculata gohar , 1940 : 96–98 ; benayahu 1990 table 1 listed only ; reinicke 1997 : 42 , plates 1–3 , 29 .
janes ( 2008 ) described ovabunda hamsina from the seychelles and the current findings confirm the assignment of ovabunda hamsina to the genus ovabunda based on sclerite microstructure .
alderslade , 2001 , following examination of relevant type material . examination of the types has confirmed the previous assignment of the following four species to this genus :
a new genus of soft coral of the family alcyoniidae ( cnidaria , octocorallia ) with re - description of a new combination and description of a new species .
marsh , leland c . ,
studies in the genus , typha : i . metaxenia , xenia , and heterosis . ii . interspecific hybridization and the origin of typha glauca . iii . autecology , with special reference to the role of aerenchyma
( 1962 ) . biology : dissertations . 66 . urltoken
xenia biseriata verseveldt & cohen , 1971 : 60 , table 1 ; benayahu 1990 table 1 listed only ; reinicke 1997 : 33 , plate 20 .
octocorals ( cnidaria , anthozoa ) from reunion , with a description of two new species of the genus sinularia may , 1898 and notes on the occurrence of other species .
fatty acid , lipid class , and phospholipid molecular species composition of the soft coral xenia sp . ( nha trang bay , the south china sea , vietnam ) .
here we describe a new species of ovabunda from recent collections in the andaman sea . additionally , we report the first record of this genus outside of the eastern indian ocean and red sea .
benayahu y , loya y . ( 1985 ) settlement and recruitment of a soft coral : why is xenia macrospiculata a successful colonizer ? bulletin of marine science 36 : 177–188 .
genus tend to grow on vertical surfaces in the wild . they are found at depths of 0 to 30 feet ( 0 - 9 m ) in bright light , and are exposed to tidal conditions .
xenia impulsatilla verseveldt & cohen , 1971 : 59–60 , table 1 ; verseveldt 1974 : 2 listed only ; benayahu 1990 , listed only ; reinicke 1997 : 32 , plate 19 .
fatty acid , lipid class , and phospholipid molecular species composition of the soft coral xenia sp . ( nha trang bay , the south china sea , vietnam ) . - pubmed - ncbi
. the tiny xenia crab is usually found in pairs at night , on top of the closed heads , and it slowly eats the pulse coral away . polychaete worms can also chew at your
baba , k . ( 1991 ) taxonomical study on some species of the genus phyllodesmium from cape muroto - misaki , shikoku and okinawa province , southern japan ( nudibranchia : facelinidae ) . venus , 50 , 109–123 .
rudman , w . b . ( 1991 ) further studies on the taxonomy and biology of the octocoral - feeding genus phyllodesmium ehrenberg , 1831 ( nudibranchia , aeolidacea ) . journal of molluscan studies , 57 , 167–203 .
genus is susceptible to stress from shipping and they do not travel well . when stressed they produce lots of mucous . this production of mucous attracts bacteria , and being trapped in the shipping bag causes the bacteria to consume the
) and , therefore , the species should be reassigned to that genus . sclerite sizes given for the holotype and paratype in the original description exceed those obtained by us , as follows : holotype 0 . 043–0 . 053 mm
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of xenia miniata reinicke , 1997 holotype ( rmnh coel . 23514 ) . a regular sclerites b pear - shaped sclerite c fused sclerites . scale bar 10 µm .
both the original description of xenia crista and the current examination revealed two rows of pinnules ; however , we found 22–30 pinnules in the holotype and 26–29 in the paratypes , compared to 29–33 and 28–32 , respectively , in the original description . the taxonomic features of xenia crista overlap those of ovabunda arabica and , therefore , they should be considered as synonyms , giving an alphabetical priority to ovabunda arabica .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of xenia crista reinicke , 1997 holotype ( rmnh 18677 ) . a regular sclerites b–c fused sclerites d white rectangle in c indicates magnified area . scale bar 10 µm .
this fast - pulse xenia is commonly called
xenia elongata ,
and ranges from being a long - stemmed and dark brown variety in lower light , to lighter bodied and more compact forms under brighter light , as seen here . while the validity or accuracy of nomenclature for xeniids may be unclear in the hobby , our fascination and love for these magnificent corals is not . photo by anthony calfo .
xenia obscuronata verseveldt & cohen , 1971 : 60 , table 1 , fig 10 ; benayahu 1990 table 1 listed only ; reinicke 1997 : 33 , 35 , plates 2 , 4 , 7 , 21 .
xenia faraunensis verseveldt & cohen , 1971 : 62 , table 1 ; benayahu 1990 table 1 listed only ; reinicke 1997 : 35 , figs 3b , 9a - b , plates 2 - 4 , 7 , 22 .
the xenia we ship you is many generations aquacultured . this is very important since aquacultured xenia are hardier than wild - collected specimens and are without the potential to carry sea born infections , or disease to your tank . they have lived there entire life under aquarium lighting and with aquarium type water flow and movement . a fast growing coral , provide adequate space between them and other types of soft corals . care level : moderate temperature : 77 - 83°f
the pulse coral is one of the most sought after of the xenia genus ! they are either very easy or very difficult and no one knows why ! one of my tanks killed them and another tank they flourished ! the movement of the tentacles makes them appear to be
clapping
and in certain conditions can almost spread and become plague like ! many put them on equipment to help hide pump inlets , etc . small additions of iodine are okay , but too much can melt them !
genus is susceptible to a periodic die off that seems to coincide with lunar events . clipping the tips of a dying colony and letting them settle on their own may help preserve some colonies . also watch out for a little nasty crab that assumes the color of the
) . undoubtedly , when measuring sclerites under a light microscope , the existence of both individual spheroids and fused ones should be taken into account . the occurrence of fused sclerites and their significance to the taxonomy of the genus and other xeniid genera should be further examined .
halász , a . , c . s . mcfadden , d . aharonovich , r . toonen & y . benayahu , 2014 . a revision of the octocoral genus ovabunda alderslade , 2001 ( anthozoa , octocorallia , xeniidae ) . zookeys 373 : 1–41 . [ details ]
halász a , mcfadden cs , aharonovich d , toonen r , benayahu y ( 2014 ) a revision of the octocoral genus ovabunda alderslade , 2001 ( anthozoa , octocorallia , xeniidae ) . zookeys 373 : 1–41 . doi : 10 . 3897 / zookeys . 373 . 6511
janes mp , mcfadden cs , chanmethakul t ( 2014 ) a new species of ovabunda ( octocorallia , xeniidae ) from the andaman sea , thailand with notes on the biogeography of this genus . zookeys 431 : 1–17 . doi : 10 . 3897 / zookeys . 431 . 7751
genus is non - aggressive as far as stinging or affecting nearby corals . they do not do as well in tanks with low nutrient levels , such as for small polyp stony corals sps and other corals that need a more pristine environment , yet they will not harm these corals chemically . the
this attractive and fast - pulsing xennid is commonly called
silver - tip
or
blue
xenia for its magnificent tendency to brighten with strong blue - green color when kept under cool colored lamps ( 10 - 20k kelvin ) . photos courtesy of james fatherree .
a survey of xeniid octocorals was carried out in the waters off southwestern thailand in september , 2007 . microscopic investigation of the colonies revealed that three specimens belonged to the genus ovabunda . gross morphological examination is presented here accompanied by scanning electron micrographs of the sclerites . molecular phylogenetic analysis showed identical genotypes at mtmuts , coi , and 28s rdna for all three specimens and supports their generic assignment . colony size and shape , sclerite size , and pinnule arrangement differ from nominal species of ovabunda and thus a new species , o . andamanensis is introduced here . this work also presents a new eastern geographical record for the genus ovabunda .
pulsate , but the species that do will generally pulse about 8 times per minute , yet there can be quite a variation in the strength and speed of the pulsing action . xenia can live from 1 to 7 years , with 3 - 7 being most common in captivity .
genus have unbranched stalks that are short , thick and smooth , from which the polyps arise . they can be cream , white brown , ivory and light green . the color is uniform with just a little contrast between the stalks and polyps . the polyps can contract considerably but do not retract inside the coral . not all
as referenced in this paper , the x . elongata has beautiful contrasting polyps and tentacles . they are one of the more sought after because of this . check your new xenia for xenid craps which will come out at night and look just like the polyps that they sit on top of and eat !
, were also recorded in the west indian ocean ( e . g . , madagascar and the seychelles ) . the possibility that the genus has a wider distributional range is not excluded , and remains to be confirmed by re - examination of already collected material deposited in various collections , or of freshly collected material from throughout the indo - pacific basin .
the paratype of xenia crista ( rmnh coel . 18678 ) features tentacles with two rows of pinnules and 26–29 pinnules in the outermost row . the sclerites are ovabunda - type , 0 . 025–0 . 036 mm in maximal diameter . the original description of the species indicated non - pulsating polyps in live colonies .
holotype : rmnh coel . 23538 , sudanese red sea , sanganeb atoll , 20 km off port sudan , s - slope near jetty ( 19°21 ' 33 . 81
n , 37°19 ' 37 . 66
e ) , 10 m , april 1991 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; additional material : rmnh coel . 23517 , sudanese red sea , sanganeb atoll , lagoon slope , tq ii station , 8 m , march 1991 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; type of xenia viridis smf 42 , indonesia , ternate island , 1894 , coll . kükenthal ; type of xenia blumi smf 44 , indonesia , ternate island , 1894 , coll . kükenthal .
genus . doing water changes of 20 % a month or 10 % biweekly is needed , although it is suggested that doing 5 % water changes once a week will replenish many of the needed additives . soft corals still need to have proper chemical levels for proper growth . adding trace elements helps to keep those nutrients in the water which benefit them . maintain ph at least at 8 . 3 .
among species of xenia , xenia puerto - galerae roxas , 1933 most closely resembles ovabunda andamanensis sp . n . the holotype is described by roxas ( 1933 ) as branched , measuring 20 . 0 mm tall and 8 . 0 mm in diameter with polyps comprised of thick tentacles that are proportionately small and “two rows of slender pointed pinnules , fifteen to seventeen in a row” . the tentacles are 8 . 0 mm long by 1 . 0 mm wide at the base and pinnules measure 0 . 7 to 0 . 8 mm long by 0 . 2 to 0 . 3 mm wide . however , in the colony with two rows ( pmbc 11862 ) in ovabunda andamanensis sp . n . , the stalks are smaller , 8 . 0 mm by 5 . 0 mm , the tentacles are narrower , 8 . 0 mm by 0 . 2 mm , the pinnules are smaller , 0 . 2 to 0 . 3 mm by 0 . 1 mm , and there are fewer pinnules ( 13 to 14 ) . most notable are the sclerites , which are described as “thin , oval discs 0 . 018 mm long and 0 . 018 to 0 . 0124 mm wide” in xenia puerto - galerae compared to the 0 . 010 to 0 . 018 mm in diameter sphere shaped sclerites observed in ovabunda andamanensis sp . n . unfortunately , the location of the holotype of xenia puerto - galerae remains unknown so a direct sem comparison of the sclerites could not be performed .
even this tiny fragment of cespitularia has begun to show its telltale irridescent glimmer as light is reflected off of tiny sclerites . with strong vho blue or 20k kelvin radium lamps , for example , they often turn a stunning solid blue color - hence the legendary name
blue xenia .
they are one of the most highly sought after of all xeniids . photo by anthony calfo .
one of the most amazing things about most xeniids is their remarkable range of reproductive strategies . a new colony can be formed from fragments as small as a single pinnule ! infected xenia with necrotic stalks and captitulums (
crowns
) can still be salvaged by snipping off tentacles , and even the feathery pinnules , to start new colonies elsewhere . photo courtesy of amy larsan ( tippytoex ) .
genus have unbranched stalks that are short , thick and smooth , from which the polyps arise . these stalks can have small oval sclerites , depending on the species . sclerites are small calcareous bodies that can help support soft corals . the polyps do not retract inside the coral , but can contract considerably . they can be cream , white brown , ivory and light green and the color is uniform with just a little contrast between the stalks and polyps .
holotype : huj i co . 84 northern red sea , gulf of aqaba , near solar pond ( sinai ) , ( 29°25 ' 44 . 43
n , 34°49 ' 50 . 31
e ) , 2 m , 15 august 1969 , coll . y . cohen . eight colonies on a sponge , one of them is the holotype . additional material : the holotype of xenia miniata : rmnh coel . 23514 , sudanese red sea , sanganeb atoll , 20 km off port sudan , w - slope , tq iv , ( 19°21 ' 33 . 81
n , 37°19 ' 37 . 66
e ) , 12 m , march 1991 ; paratypes of xenia miniata : rmnh coel 25412 , rmnh coel 25413 , details as above , rmnh coel . 25411 , same location , sw - corner slope , tq i , 12 m , march 1991 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; rmnh coel . 6848 , northern red sea , gulf of suez , el tur ( 28°14 ' 10 . 99
n , 33°36 ' 51 . 06
e ) , 6 july 1969 , coll . l . fishelson ; rmnh coel . 6847 , same details ; rmnh coel . 8938 , same details , abu durbah ( 28°28 ' 27 . 56
n , 33°19 ' 30 . 13
e ) ; the holotype of ovabunda aldersladei rmnh coel . 38681 , indian ocean , seychelles , northern coast of bird island ( 03°42 ' s , 55°12 ' e ) , < 30 m , 21 december 1992 , tyro expedition ; type of xenia ternatana smf 43 , indonesia , ternate island , 1894 , coll . kükenthal ; type of xenia garciae bml 1921 . 11 . 18 . 1 , indian ocean , chagos archipelago , coll . diego garcia ; rmnh coel . 8938 red sea , gulf of suez , abu zanima ; rmnh coel . 6847 , red sea , gulf of suez , el tur , 6 july 1969 , coll . l . fishelson ; rmnh coel . 6848 , same location , misidentified as xenia miniata
holotype : rmnh coel . 23539 , sudanese red sea , sanganeb atoll , 20 km off port sudan , southern - slope near jetty ( 19°21 ' 33 . 81
n , 37°19 ' 37 . 66
e ) , 6 m , april 1991 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; paratype : rmnh coel . 23540 , same location , 5 m s - jetty , october 1992 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; additional material : rmnh coel . 23535 , red sea , gulf of aqaba , aqaba , saudi arabian border bay ( 29°21 ' 37 . 31
n , 34°57 ' 39 . 48
e ) , october 1989 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; nhmw 2250 , saudi arabia ; holotype of xenia crassa smf 39 , indonesia , ternate island , 1894 , coll . kükenthal ; holotype of xenia ternatana smf 43 , indonesia , ternate island , 1894 , coll . kükenthal .
genus reach sexual maturity within one year , and have several methods of reproduction . they will reproduce naturally in captivity by longitudinal fission , notably several times a month once the colony is mature . they will also use budding as another way of reproducing , or pinnitomy ( pinnules falling from the polyps and attaching to the substrate to start new colonies ) . some aquarists have actually snipped off individual polyps from the cap of dying colonies , and found that they will settle elsewhere in the aquarium and start new colonies . some species will expel brooded planulae ( free - swimming larvae ) in some captive environments .
holotype and five paratypes : huj i co . 72 , northern red sea , gulf of aqaba , marsa murach ( 29°25 ' 34 . 44
n , 34°50 ' 10 . 46
e ) , 1–4 m , 15 september 1969 , coll . y . cohen ; holotype of ovabunda obscuronata huj i co . 120 , northern red sea , gulf of aqaba , ras el muqebla ( 29°24 ' 1 . 20
n , 34°48 ' 41 . 99
e ) , 12 m , 16 august 1971 , coll . y . cohen ; holotype of xenia ternatana smf 43 , indonesia , ternate island , 1894 , coll . kükenthal .
holotype : rmnh coel . 18673 , northern red sea , gulf of aqaba , saudi arabian border bay , 20 km south of aqaba ( 29°21 ' 37 . 31
n , 34°57 ' 39 . 48
e ) , 15 m , 12 november 1991 , coll . g . b . reinicke . paratypes : rmnh coel . 18675 , northern red sea , gulf of aqaba , nature reserve ( aqaba ) , marine science station ( mss ) , 10 km south of aqaba ( 29°27 ' 27 . 33
n , 34°58 ' 24 . 19
e ) , 15 m , 4 november 1991 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; rmnh coel . 18676 , location as above , 12 m , 5 november 1991 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; additional material : holotype of xenia crista rmnh coel . 18677 , northern red sea , gulf of aqaba , nature reserve ( aqaba ) , marine science station ( mss ) , 10 km south of aqaba ( 29°27 ' 27 . 33
n , 34°58 ' 24 . 19
e ) , 12 m , october 1989 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; paratype of xenia crista rmnh coel . 18678 , location as above , 15 m , october 1990 , coll . g . b . reinicke .
could this be sansibia ? many odd little soft corals are acquired as incidental growths on rock and with other collected invertebrates . wishful aquarists like myself retreat to the scientific and hobby literature to try to find a name for such surprise guests . identification by image alone , however , is impractical and unrealistic for most any coral - to the genus level , let alone species . i think i can hear my dear friend eric borneman weeping in a corner as i declare that this must be sansibia because i just bought a new book with a picture that looks just like it ! and for our next trick , lets rename all of the acroporids in our tanks because charlie veron came out with a new book series , shall we ? photo by anthony calfo .
re - examination and appropriate re - descriptions of octocoral type material , as conducted in the current study , is highly important in an era of molecular phylogeny and increasing phylogeographic studies , despite the difficulty or inability to extract dna from the types themselves . this kind of comprehensive study based mainly on type material is a critical first step in the process of understanding phylogenetic relationships among species and genera , and their ecology . due to similar morphologies in the case of xenia and ovabunda , further analysis is needed in order to reveal their radiation , especially in regions where they have a sympatric distribution . there is also a need to validate the current ovabunda species , through an integrated taxonomic effort , combining molecular genetic evidence of species boundaries , ecological , and reproductive differences .
at the time of examination the holotype was dry , and therefore precise dimensions of the pinnules could not be obtained . the original description ( verseveldt and cohen 1971 : 62 ) indicated that : “the colony is 25 mm high . the stem is 15 mm high and 5–6 mm wide at the base , then narrows to 3–4 mm and widens again to 7 mm or more at the beginning of the polyparium . the anthocodiae are up to 10 mm long . . . the tentacles are 5–6 . 5 mm long” . it is evident that the dimensions of the dried holotype are smaller than those of the original . the other features of the holotype recorded correspond to the original description , including two rows of pinnules , 17–24 pinnules in the outermost row , and sclerite diameter up to 0 . 044 mm ( vs . 17–23 and 0 . 042 mm , in the original description ) . reinicke ( 1997 ) presented a sem micrograph of a single sclerite of ovabunda faraunensis which later led alderslade ( 2001 ) to assign it to the genus ovabunda .
xenia macrospiculata was originally described by gohar ( 1940 ) from ghardaqa , egyptian red sea , as having pulsating tentacles , bearing three , occasionally two , rows of pinnules , with 12–16 pinnules in the outermost row ( and 10–14 pinnules on the middle row , 0–10 on the oral one ) . that study did not indicate the museum in which the type was deposited . the last author of the current study searched in the museums listed in the methods and found no trace of it ; over time this type was probably lost . the designation of a neotype in this revision is thus necessary . the purpose of the designation is to clarify the species’ taxonomic status and its assignment to ovabunda . although the sclerites were described quite accurately in the original description ( 0 . 024–0 . 036 mm in diameter , and “spicules fused in pairs” ) , sem micrographs of the sclerites are essential as in the other species of the revision .
we also examined additional colonies that were identified by reinicke ( 1997 ) as xenia miniata . specimen rmnh coel . 6848 has two rows of pinnules , with 12–14 pinnules in the outermost row ; its sclerites are ovabunda - type , reaching up to 0 . 051 mm in maximal diameter . based on sclerite size , number of pinnule rows and number of pinnules in the outermost row , this specimen should be reassigned to ovabunda biseriata . specimen rmnh coel . 6847 has two rows of pinnules , with 10–11 pinnules in the outermost row ; and its sclerites are also of the ovabunda - type , reaching up to 0 . 045 mm in maximal diameter . rmnh coel . 8938 has two rows of pinnules , but with only 8–9 in the outermost row ; its sclerites are ovabunda - type , reaching up to 0 . 047 mm in maximal diameter . based on the number of rows of pinnules on the tentacles , the number of pinnules in the outermost row , and the size and microstructure of sclerites , the latter two colonies also belong to ovabunda impulsatilla .
holotype : rmnh coel . 23904 , sudanese red sea , sanganeb atoll , off port sudan , reef flat ( 19°21 ' 33 . 81
n , 37°19 ' 37 . 66
e ) , 6 april 1991 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; paratypes : rmnh coel . 23902 , same data as above , april 1991 ; rmnh coel . 25906 , same locality sw corner , 15 m ; rmnh coel . 23553 , sudanese red sea , sanganeb atoll , lagoon slope near tq ii , 12 m , october 1992 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; additional material : rmnh coel . 23552 , same locality , w - slope , tq iv , 12 m , april 1991 , coll . g . b . reinicke ; rmnh coel . 25903 , same locality , se corner , reef flat ; rmnh coel . 25905 sw corner , 15 m ; rmnh coel . 23907 , near southern jetty , 10 m ; all april 1991 , all coll . g . b . reinicke ; rmnh coel . 23908 , indian ocean , madagascar , 1960 , coll . m . cherbounier , mnhn oct . a . 1993 . 16 ; holotype of xenia grasshoffi smf 2616 , northern red sea , gulf of aqaba , elat , 1 january 1968 , coll . grasshoff m .
cordeiro , r . ; van ofwegen , l . ; williams , g . ( 2018 ) . world list of octocorallia .
benayahu , y ( 1993 ) . corals of the south - west indian ocean . i . alcyonacea from sodwana bay , south africa . oceanographic research institute , investigational report no . 67 . 16 pp . ( look up in imis ) [ details ]
fabricius , k . & p . alderslade , 2001 . soft corals & sea fans : a comprehensive guide to the tropical shallow water genera of the central - west pacific , the indian ocean and the red sea . australian institute of marine science , pp . i - vii + 1 - 264 .
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i ' d love to give your clam a new house . i have 110g reef tank set up 25 hrs . he ' d love it !
i would like to purchase a quantity of aiptasia for my berghia nudibranch . if you have some available , please respond . bobtc100 @ urltoken
are some of the most endearing corals , and are highly favored by reef enthusiasts . with their pulsing heads and the gentle waving of their polyps in the water , they produce an almost mesmerizing affect to the viewer . since they tend to grow in the direction of the water flow that they are near , you can get them to grow where you want in the reef tank . getting them to grow up the back wall of the aquarium makes for an interesting display .
pulsate , but the species that do will generally pulse about 8 times per minute , yet there can be quite a variation in the strength and speed of the pulsing action .
corals pulse . many experts and aquarists attribute a variety of reasons for the pulsing phenomena . one thought is that they are pulsating to help with respiration and gas exchange . water chemistry also plays a role in their pulsing , along with lighting and current , just what combination is hard to tell . they are sensitive to falling or low ph and will stop pulsing when the ph is below 8 . 3 . adding small amounts of carbon will take some organics out of the water . some aquarists have found this to induce the polyps to pulse , as if the coral is trying to try pull more nutrients from the water . supplements of iodine are also suggested by some , but with caution as lugol ' s has been found to be detrimental to some
corals are not the only pulsing corals . the xeniidae family itself is considered unique in the coral world because of this ability . from this family , at least five other genera will pulse . some of those common to aquarists include the pom pom zenias of the
corals form an encrusting mat and their cylindrical polyps grow directly from that base .
polyps rise from a capitulum ( top of the stalk ) forming small colonies that are only a few inches tall ( up to 4
) .
can be easy to care for , depending on proper handling procedures . if you need to handle them , do so very briefly and with gloved fingers . when handled they stress and produce lots of mucous , which in turn attracts bacteria , leading to death . this is also the reason they do not travel well . this production of mucous attracts bacteria , and being trapped in the shipping bag causes the bacteria to consume the
. though their primary difficulty is in shipping , once established in the aquarium they can be very hardy and are one of the fastest corals to multiply .
xeniids have been found growing in water polluted by pipes of hotels and resorts . they are almost like an aquatic weed . they are the first to form colonies on a reef area and can
walk
with attachment and detachment of their stalks and branches . in the wake of their
walk
they will encrust over other living corals and plants .
the stalk has a grouping of feathery polyps at the end , with each polyp having a 1
to 2
long stem . their tentacles are pinnate , or feathering to different degrees , depending on the species . deep water species have thinner tentacles and pinnules , and shallower species are thicker with more robust attributes . for example ,
polyps rise from a capitulum ( top of the stalk ) and form small colonies that are only a few inches tall ( up to 4
) .
can be easy to care for , depending on proper handling procedures . if you need to handle them , do so very briefly and with gloved fingers . when handled they stress and produce lots of mucous , which in turn attracts bacteria , leading to death . though their primary care difficulty is in shipping , once established in the aquarium they are can be very hardy and are one of the fastest corals to multiply .
corals have developed several feeding strategies . they can absorb dissolved organic matter , some species capture microscopic food particles from the water column , and they have a symbiotic relationship with a marine algae known as zooxanthellae , where they also receive some of their nutrients .
in captivity target feeding is pretty much pointless , and stocking enough fish as a source of dissolved organics is all you need . tanks without fish need a mature sand that can be stirred to get the organics in the the water column . some have stated micro zooplankton may be added if desired .
some have indicated the use of iodine , yet use sparingly and do not exceed manufacturers suggested doses . it is suggested to only use 1 / 2 the dosage amount as you start off with your new colony , and then increase it slowly over time as the colony becomes established . one way you can gauge the amount is by watching the development of brown algae , diatoms . established , well maintained aquariums only need the glass scraped free of brown algae about once a week or even longer . too much iodine is indicated by excessive algae growth .
1200 - 1350 ppm . ( magnesium makes calcium available , so if your calcium is low , check your magnesium levels before adding any more calcium . )
a typical live rock / reef environment is what is needed for your pulse coral , along with some fish for organic matter production . attach the pulse coral to a hard substrate once introduced to the tank .
corals like a moderate to high , and turbid water flow . they grow fast under metal halides and high intensity t5 bulbs and similar bulbs . if the tank is shallower than 18
, even standard output fluorescent lighting can be used . if the levels are not high enough in the lighting scheme you have , or you need new bulbs , some xeniids will change color or increase in size . this deepening color change is from the coral actually cultivating more zooxanthellae to catch the lowered light levels . the
if your xeniid is starved for light , it will expand and extend its stalks to try and get more light . this can give the aquarist the illusion of health , when in fact this is a good indication that your lighting is deficient .
leather corals seem to help xeniids flourish , though this is not entirely understood .
corals can move , and will actually
climb
up to areas where there is more light if they need to . make sure no corals are around that can be
grown
over .
can also ' walk ' to split a colony , leaving a trail of tissue that will start into a new colony .
in captivity , be sure to use gloves and be aware that your pulse coral will stink once you pull it from the water . stalked
should be cut longitudinally between the branches and affixed to a solid surface with a rubber band or reef glue . because they are so fast growing , some reef farmers allow the
to grow over netting . they then cut those into small frags and use reef glue to affix them to plugs or rock . the product , seachem ' s reef plus , has been suggested to add to the tank at 3 to 6 times the recommended dosage to help with healing frags .
can be shipped dry for short distances ( less than 12 hours on average and not in extreme weather ) since this will help with keeping the bacteria level down from the mucous they produce . they will produce a mucous layer to protect themselves from the air ( just like in the wild during low tide ) , but the benefit is that they do not suffer from fouled shipping water .
. ( in extreme temperatures , very hot or very cold , submerging them in water would be better , rather than dry shipping . )
suspend the coral in the shipping container to prevent it from hitting the sides of the package , and prevent it from coming in contact with the small amount of water at the bottom . suspend the
when acclimating them , match the water parameters of your tank to those from where they were shipped .
they will shed the mucous they accumulated when placed in the new tank ( just as if the tide had come back ) , so must be exposed to strong water movement to help them recover .
is very easy to find pet shops and on line . online they can run about $ 20 . 00 to $ 50 . 00 usd and up , depending on size and / or color .
i ' m looking to buy a variety of pulsating xenias , pom poms and others i have about 200 dollars to spend please help .
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halász a 1 , mcfadden cs 2 , aharonovich d 1 , toonen r 3 , benayahu y 1 .
department of zoology , george s . wise faculty of life sciences , tel aviv university , ramat aviv , tel aviv 69978 , israel .
department of biology , harvey mudd college , 1250 n . dartmouth ave . , claremont , ca 91711 , usa .
hawai ' i institute of marine biology , university of hawaii at manoa , 46 - 007 lilipuna road , kane ' ohe , hi 96744 , usa .
pmid : 24493958 pmcid : pmc3909805 doi : 10 . 3897 / zookeys . 373 . 6511
illustration of colony dimensions . a colony height b stalk length c stalk width at base d stalk width at uppermost part . illustration adopted from .
illustration of polyp dimensions . a pinnule width at its base b gap between adjacent pinnules ; asterisk indicates magnified area . illustration adopted from encyclopedia britannica , 11th edition , volume 3 urltoken @ 34018 @ 34018 - h @ 34018 - h - 7 . htm ) .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda ainex ( reinicke , 1997 ) paratype ( rmnh coel . 23540 ) . a regular sclerites b fused sclerites c irregular sclerite . arrows indicate surface dents . scale bar : 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda arabica ( reinicke , 1995 ) paratype ( rmnh coel . 18675 ) . a regular sclerites b fused sclerites c pear - shaped sclerite . arrow indicates surface irregularity , might represent the fusion area of two individual sclerites . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda benayahui ( reinicke , 1995 ) holotype ( rmnh coel . 19664 ) . a regular sclerites b fused sclerite . arrows indicate surface dents . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda benayahui reinicke , 1995 ( zmtau co 26043 ) . a regular sclerites b fused sclerites c egg - shaped sclerite d rectangular sclerite . arrow indicates surface crest . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda biseriata ( verseveldt & cohen , 1971 ) holotype ( huj i co . 72 ) . arrow indicates surface dents . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda obscuronata ( verseveldt & cohen , 1971 ) holotype ( huj i co . 120 ) . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda crenata ( reinicke , 1997 ) ( rmnh coel . 23517 ) . a regular sclerites b fused sclerites c egg - shaped sclerites d rectangular sclerite . arrows indicate surface dents . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda faraunensis ( verseveldt & cohen , 1971 ) holotype ( huj i . co . 140 ) . a regular sclerites b fused sclerite . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda gohari ( reinicke , 1997 ) paratype ( rmnh coel . 23436 ) . a regular sclerites b fused sclerite . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda hamsina ( reinicke , 1997 ) holotype ( rmnh coel . 23904 ) . a regular sclerites b fused sclerites . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda impulsatilla ( verseveldt & cohen , 1971 ) holotype ( huj i co . 84 ) . a regular sclerites b fused sclerites . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda aldersladei janes , 2008 holotype ( rmnh coel . 38681 ) . arrow indicates surface crest . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda macrospiculata ( gohar , 1940 ) neotype ( zmtau co 25635 ) . a pear - shape sclerite b regular sclerites c fused sclerite . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda macrospiculata ( gohar , 1940 ) paratype ( zmtau co 35790 ) . a regular sclerites b irregular sclerite c fused sclerites d pear - shaped sclerite . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda macrospiculata ( gohar , 1940 ) paratype ( zmtau co 35791 ) . a regular sclerite b irregular sclerites c fused sclerites . arrows indicate surface dents . scale bar 10 µm .
scanning electron micrographs of polyp sclerites of ovabunda verseveldti ( benayahu , 1990 ) holotype ( zmtau co 26048 ) . a egg - shaped sclerite b regular sclerite c rectangular sclerites d fused sclerites e irregular sclerite . scale bar 10 µm .
the present study is intended to cast some light on the problem of t . glauca , but in so doing a slightly different experimental approach has been developed and applied . in the first part , intra - and interspecific hybridization of the three species , t . latifolia , t . angustifolia , and t . glauca , produced significant alterations in certain seed characteristics . there were color , dimensions of the external cellular layer , endosperm width , embryo width , and embryo length . . . . in the second part , the relative fecundity of the species as measured by seed yield , together with external seed dimensions , seed weight and the above seed characteristics , were related to the issue of the origin of t . glauca . . . .
magnesium : 1250 - 1350ppm lighting : moderate to high lighting levels with either power compact fluorescents or t5 fluorescents should be adequate for aquariums 25 inches in height or less . on deeper aquariums , metal halides should be used to make sure that adequate lighting intensity makes it to the bottom of the aquarium where waving hand corals are typically placed . water flow : indirect medium to strong water currents are required , along with excellent water quality .
lighting : moderate to high lighting levels with either power compact fluorescents or t5 fluorescents should be adequate for aquariums 25 inches in height or less . on deeper aquariums , metal halides should be used to make sure that adequate lighting intensity makes it to the bottom of the aquarium where waving hand corals are typically placed . water flow : indirect medium to strong water currents are required , along with excellent water quality .
select a size small - $ 139 . 99 medium - $ 199 . 99
why phytoplankton : phytoplankton is very important to marine life . it is the primary producers in the ocean . crucial to the development and survival of most , if not all marine animals . but what is phytoplankton ? it is just a fancy word for tiny floating plants ( such as diatoms and dinoflagellates ) , which serve the same role in the food chains of the oceans as grass and shrubs serve on land ; namely small things eat them . many coral reef animals feed directly on phytoplankton . some essential nutrients provided by phytoplankton cannot be synthesized by animals , and therefore are extremely important components of a healthy diet . click here for more information on the importance of phytoplankton for your corals


the koo-wee-rup swamp was a large freshwater swamp located to the south east of melbourne , victoria .

it was drained an area of west gippsland , with several waterways including cardinia creek and the bunyip river .

the koo-wee-rup swamp originally covered more than 40 000 hectares , of dense swamp paperbark ( melaleuca ericifolia ) , some open grasslands , reed beds ( phragmites australis ) and bullrushes ( typha spp ) .

known as the great swamp it was an impassable barrier for travelers between melbourne and gippsland .

although the fringes of the swamp were settled by the mid-1800s , farming was not possible in much of the land because of frequent flooding and the rapid re-growth of paperbark and other swamp vegetation .

however , in the 1870s , efforts were made by the victorian department of lands to drain the swamp and open up the area for agriculture .

a koo-wee-rup swamp drainage committee was formed by local landowners and in february 1876 excavation of the main channel to take water from cardinia creek was commenced .

this channel was 8 km long and 1.2 m deep , leading into western port at moody 's inlet .

other drains including those for toomuc creek and the bunyip river were also dug .

koo - wee - rup swamp

koo - wee - rup swamp history : a short overview of the drainage of the koo - wee - rup swamp .
a short overview of the drainage of the koo - wee - rup swamp .
get quick answers from koo wee rup swamp lookout tower staff and past visitors .
the koo wee rup swamp lookout tower is located right by the main highway leading towards phillip . . .
koo wee rup observation tower overlooks the wetlands , with views south to westernport bay and . . .
in the 1800 ' s the koo - wee - rup swamp extended over an area of approximately 40 000 hectares . it was covered by dense stands of swamp paperbark (
this blog is about the history of the koo - wee - rup swamp and neighbouring areas , such as pakenham , cranbourne and garfield , and any other historical subjects i feel like writing about . it ' s my own original research and writing and if you live in the area you may have read some of the stories before in the koo - wee - rup swamp historical society newsletter or the koo - wee - rup township newsletter ,
a short overview of the drainage of the koo - wee - ru . . .
koo wee rup observation tower overlooks the wetlands , with views south to westernport bay and french island . the tower is located on the south gippsland highway , just south of koo wee rup if you are driving to phillip island . it is a great place to . . .
goudie , a . g . ( 1942 ) . a survey of the soils and land utilisation in the parishes of koo - wee - rup and koo - wee - rup east . proc . roy . soc . victoria , 54 ( ns ) pt . 1 : 93 - 130 .
numerous small and medium - size towns have been established in the former swamp . the largest town is koo wee rup . smaller places include bayles , catani , cora lynn , dalmore and yannathan .
if a picnic is not on your agenda the town of koo wee rup is only a few minutes away . road signage beside the reserve encourages visitors .
despite the drainage improvements there is occasional flooding . in february 2011 koo wee rup , iona , cora lynn and bayles were evacuated because the lower bunyip river overflowed .
, formed the koo - wee - rup swamp drainage committee . from 1876 this committee employed over 100 men and created drains that would carry the water from the cardinia and toomuc creeks to western port bay at moody’s inlet .
roberts , d . ( 1985 ) . from swampland to farmland - a history of the koo - wee - rup flood protection district . rural water commission of victoria .
you will find the lookout tower off to the left of the south gippsland hwy and adjacent the bunyip river just before you get to koo wee rup travelling from tooradin . the tower overlooks both the swamp land and westernport bay and once you ascend . . .
i am the local history librarian at at public library service in the south - east suburbs of melbourne . i am also the president of the koo - wee - rup swamp historical society , the secretary of the south eastern historical association and the trafalgar truck restorers club .
there was pastoral settlement around the swamp in the late 1840s . a large landowner , william lyall , had holdings at tooradin and at yallock , a slightly elevated area at the east of the swamp . he attempted a private drainage scheme at yallock . in 1875 land was sold in the west of the swamp and the koo - wee - rup swamp drainage committee was formed by local landowners , to drain water from cardinia creek into western port bay . heavy rain in 1891 , coming from the gembrook ranges by the toomuc , bunyip and tarago rivers , inundated the swamp and its reclaimed western sector . successful drainage required a scheme for all of the swamp .
the koo wee rup swamp lookout tower is located right by the main highway leading towards phillip island / wonthaggi / inverloch from melbourne . it basically consists of a fair sized parking area and then some historical information boards and a few other bits ' n ' pieces . the main attraction . . .
the koo wee rup swamp was an area north of western port bay . its western limit was in the vicinity of tooradin and its easterly limit was bunyip and the lang lang river . the gippsland ( oakleigh to bunyip ) railway line marked the northern edge . estimates of its area vary , but it was about 400 sq km .
if you ' re travelling the south gippsland highway , the col utber swamp tower reserve just south of koo wee rup is a great place for a rest or a picnic . this day time rest area has off road parking suitable for caravans and big rigs and is easily spotted by the high wooden lookout tower that dominates the picnic grounds .
today we look at swamps as wetlands , worthy of preservation , but we need to look at the drainage of the swamp in the context of the times . koo - wee - rup was only one of many swamps drained around this time ; others include the carrum swamp and the moe swamp . to the people at the time the drainage works were an example of victorian engineering skills and turned what was perceived as useless land into productive land and removed a barrier to the development of other areas in gippsland .
the land act of 1865 opened up land along the fringes of the swamp for selection . however , farming was not possible due to potential flooding and dense stands of vegetation . by 1870 the lands department decided that the swamp should be drained and opened up for agriculture . further land was sold at auction in 1875 . the largest landholders at the time were scottish and may have believed that the swamp soils were favourable for farming , based on their knowledge of peaty soils in their mother country . landholders formed the koo - wee - rup swamp drainage committee which would be responsible for draining the area .
the following history of the koo - wee - rup region in terms of drainage and agricultural production has been largely summarised from the book ' from swampland to farmland ' by david roberts . it is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of this region .
under this scheme , all workers had to be married , accept a 20 acre block and spend a fortnight working on the drains for wages and a fortnight improving their block and maintaining adjoining drains . the villages were koo - wee - rup , five mile , cora lynn , vervale , iona and yallock .
drainage works on the swamp began in the 1850’s on a small scale and in 1875 , landowners formed the koo - wee - rup swamp drainage committee . this committee employed over 100 men and created drains that would carry the water from the cardinia and toomuc creeks to western port bay . you can still see these drains when you travel on manks road , between lea road and rices road – the five bridges you cross span the cardinia and toomuc creek canals ( plus a few catch drains ) which were dug in the 1870’s .
potato growing has diversified into other vegetables as the fringe of metropolitan melbourne has come closer . by the 1930s koo wee rup and dalmore were major asparagus - growing areas , and by the early 2000s the former swamp produced 95 % of australia’s asparagus . market gardens draw water from the drains and from the ground by bores , but some areas have suffered from excessive take - off , with a consequent risk of mineralisation and salting of the water .
the original drainage works were completed in 1897 but later floods saw more drainage work undertaken , including widening of the main drain and additional side drains . none of these works protected the swamp against the big flood of december 1 , 1934 . the entire swamp was inundated ; water was over six feet deep in the town of koo - wee - rup and over a thousand people were left homeless . another bad flood hit the swamp in april 1935 and yet another one in october 1937 . a royal commission was also established in 1936 and its role was to investigate the operation of the state rivers and water supply commission regarding its administration of flood protection districts , amongst other things . the royal commission report was critical of the srwsc’s operation in the koo - wee - rup flood protection district in a number of areas and it ordered that new plans for drainage improvements be established . the subsequent works saw the creation of the yallock outfall drain and the spillway at cora lynn , the aim of which was to take the pressure off the main drain in flood times and channel the flood waters directly to western port bay .
it was obvious however that major works needed to be undertaken to sucessfully drain the swamp thus the chief engineer of the public works department , william thwaites ( 1853 - 1907 ) , surveyed the swamp in 1887 and his report recommended the construction of the bunyip main drain from where it entered the swamp in the north to western port bay and a number of smaller side drains .
what you will not find at the col utber swamp tower reserve is a swamp . drainage works began in the area as far back as 1856 . the drain carrying water from the cardinia and toomuc creeks to westernport bay was created in 1875 . hundreds of men were employed for further work on drainage and by 1893 the swamp was declared drained and the area suitable for settlement .
we will start this blog off with a brief overview of the drainage works on the swamp . small scale efforts to drain the 96 , 000 acre ( 40 , 000 hectare ) swamp began in the 1850s and in 1875 landowners including duncan macgregor , who owned
the col utber swamp tower reserve is a daylight hour reserve on the south gippsland highway , koo wee rup . it is immediately west of the road bridge across the bunyip river and east of the rossiter road intersection with the highway . entry to the car park is on the west ( melbourne side ) of the lookout tower which is easily spotted from the road . the car park is suitable for caravans and big rigs , there is mobile ' phone coverage , and picnic facilities . there are no public toilets . pets are permitted .
in march 1878 the gippsland railway which ran from melbourne to east gippsland was completed . residents of cranbourne and port albert made demands for a rail service in their districts which would necessitate a railway going through the koo - wee - rup swampland . plans were developed for a great southern railway between dandenong and port albert with profits from the sale of drained land to be used for it ' s construction .
extensive flooding occurred in many areas of victoria in 1934 , and resulted in a flood in the former swamp area which was three and a half times larger than the record flood of 1924 . over one thousand people were made homeless and the koo - wee - rup hotel had almost 2 metres of water in it . a royal commission was established in 1936 and resulted in a drainage improvement scheme being implemented . this scheme involved alterations ( eg . levee construction , sediment removal ) and extensions to main drains . other floods occurred in 1937 .
an information board has useful area maps , and a town map of koo wee rup . the history of the area is documented on one side . wander about and you will find a number of historic information and dedication plaques . a set of wheels from a german dredge , imported in the early 1900 ' s is proudly displayed . the late 1800 ' s release of deer into the area is commemorated . another plaque commemorates the 1991 opening of the south gippsland highway duplication .
in the early 1900 ' s , hills to the north of the swamp area were cleared of trees in order to develop farms and to supply the many saw mills established due to a growing timber demand . increased runoff resulted into the tarago and bunyip catchments . erosion occurred in the steeper sections of the bunyip main drain and sediments were deposited in the lower sections of the drain . in 1911 severe flooding occurred . a drainage improvement plan was proposed by the state rivers and water supply commission to give the area complete protection from a flood this size . the lower koo - wee - rup flood protection district was proclaimed in 1917 and work commenced .
thu 10 oct 1918 - dandenong advertiser and cranbourne , berwick and oakleigh advocate ( vic . : 1914 - 1918 ) page 2 - the great kooweerup swamp drainage muddle
dandenong advertiser and cranbourne , berwick and oakleigh advocate ( vic . : 1914 - 1918 ) , thu 10 oct 1918 , page 2 - the great kooweerup swamp drainage muddle
the soils of the swamp were found to be particularly fertile for crops and dairying . during the early 1890s the victorian public works department’s carlo catani supervised the great southern railway across the swamp from tooradin to loch . village settlements housed construction workers and creameries were opened at iona ( 1897 ) and elsewhere . soldier - settler farms were taken up during the 1920s .
catani implemented the village settlement scheme . under this scheme , all workers had to be married , accept a 20 acre block and spend a fortnight working on the drains for wages and a fortnight improving their block and maintaining adjoining drains . the villages were at koo - wee - rup , five mile , cora lynn , vervale , iona and yallock . many of the settlers were unused to farming and hard physical labour , others were deterred by floods and ironically a drought that caused a bushfire . my great grandfather , james rouse , a widower , arrived on the swamp with his nine year old son joe , in 1903 . james , who had been a market gardener in england , was part of a second wave of settlers who were granted land as they had previous farming experience . by 1904 , over 2 , 000 people including 1 , 400 children lived on the swamp . by the 1920s , the area was producing one quarter of victorian potatoes and was also a major producer of dairy products .
by 1940 the area planted to potatoes had fallen to approximately 570 hectares , due mainly to low prices in the 1930 ' s . smaller areas were planted to maize , onions , carrots , peas and asparagus ( goudie 1942 ) . vegetable demand increased during the second world war and carrots , peas and cabbages were processed in the dalmore area . the koo - wee - rup district became the prime supplier of vegetables and milk to melbourne . only minor flooding occurred after this period as drainage works continued . the whole reclaimed swampland came under the control of one authority ( state rivers and water supply commission ) in 1962 .
it soon became apparent that drainage works needed to be carried out on a large scale if the swamp was to be drained and landowners protected from floods . the chief engineer of the public works department , william thwaites , surveyed the swamp in 1888 and his report recommended the construction of the bunyip main drain from where it entered the swamp in the north to western port bay and a number of smaller side drains as well . a tender was advertised in 1889 . even with strikes , floods and bad weather , by march 1893 the contractors had constructed the 16 miles of the drain from the bay to the south of bunyip and the public works department considered the swamp was now dry enough for settlement . in spite of this , the public works department was unhappy with the rate of progress and took over its completion in 1893 and appointed the engineer , carlo catani to oversee the work .
work commenced on the bunyip main drain in 1889 in order to channel water from the bunyip river as it entered the swamp . this main drain would be fed by smaller drains . by 1892 the main drain had been cut 14 km inland from reeces inlet and at this time some 500 men were working on the project and excavating drains using picks , shovels and wheelbarrows . by 1893 the main drain had met the bunyip drain . these two drains together with four smaller drains formed the foundation of the swamp drainage system . a village settlement was started on the partly reclaimed swamp , whereby settlers were responsible for the maintenance of drains adjoining their blocks . the main drain overflowed in 1893 and much of the land was flooded . in response , the main drain was widened and deepened .
irrigation due to urban expansion in the 1950 ' s and 60 ' s , market gardeners were forced away from the city region . the koo - wee - rup region became an area of market garden expansion and potatoes replaced dairying as the dominant land use . a system of irrigation was developed to provide for this expansion . in the 1950 ' s , permits were issued to allow a number of landholders to pump water directly from the main drain . further permits were granted . the amount of water that could be pumped varied according to the size of the farm . groundwater comes from the western port groundwater basin which is fed by water entering via tertiary period gravels and basalts along the eastern and western margins . also , recharge occurs via quaternary sediments in the north - east ( eg . bunyip and tarago river basins ) .
water becomes stored in a groundwater aquifer underneath the impermeable clay and peat layers . the first bore was sunk in 1922 near cora lyn to tap underground water . other bores were sunk and used for stock and domestic requirements . bore sinking went unchecked in the 50 ' s and 60 ' s and a decline in water levels of up to 15 metres was recorded in 1961 - 62 . during the 1967 - 68 drought the water level in the koo - wee - rup aquifer fell to below pumping levels . the groundwater act was passed in 1969 and control of groundwater extraction was given to the state rivers and water supply commission . parts of the westernport groundwater basin were declared a groundwater conservation area in 1971 . controls were placed on the maximum rate and volume of groundwater that could be extracted . zones were established to manage groundwater use and in some areas no further bores were permitted .
two creameries were established in 1896 and by 1897 drainage works were completed . in 1898 bushfires spread to the swamp area and underlying peat soil caught fire and burnt beneath the surface for months . the results of drainage and several dry years resulted in the soil shrinking and compacting and the level of the land surface fell .
many of the settlers were unused to farming and hard physical labour , others were deterred by floods and ironically a drought that caused a bushfire , however many stayed and communities developed . by 1904 , over 2 , 000 people including 1 , 400 children lived on the swamp . by the 1920s , the area was producing one quarter of victorian potatoes .
a tender was advertised in 1889 . in spite of strikes , floods and bad weather by march , 1893 , the private contractors had constructed the 16 miles of the drain from the bay to the south of bunyip and the public works department considered the swamp was now dry enough for settlement . at one time over 500 men were employed and all the work was done by hand , using axes .
there was a second wave of settlers in the early 1900s where those selected had previous farm experience , such as my great grandfather , james rouse who had been a market gardener in england . james , a widower , arrived in 1903 with his eleven year old son , joe . he had selected 56 acres on murray road at cora lynn and his arrival started the rouse family ' s 110 year connection to the swamp .
in spite of what seemed to be good progress - the public works department had been unhappy with the rate of progress and took over its completion in 1893 and appointed the engineer , carlo catani ( 1852 - 1918 ) . the 1890s was a time of economic depression in australia and various government schemes were implemented to provide employment and to stop the drift of the unemployed to the city . one of these schemes was the village settlement scheme . the aim was for the settlers to find employment outside the city and to boost their income from the sale of produce from their farms . it was in this context that catani implemented the village settlement scheme on the swamp .
a major flood ( double the size of 1911 ) occurred in 1923 , which resulted in significant crop damage . an even larger flood occurred in 1924 that covered the former swampland in water 1 . 5 metres deep . in 1925 a royal commission investigated the entire soldier settlement scheme and assistance was given . drier periods existed after 1924 and the land proved to be very fertile . italian migrants bought many of the properties abandoned after the floods . they practised labour intensive farming methods and district production rose . it was estimated by the department of agriculture that in 1926 the former swamp area produced approximately 25 % of victorian potatoes . however , the great depression in the late 1920s resulted in reduced prices and financial ruin for some farmers . drainage digging was provided by the government as a form of relief work for the unemployed .
in february 1876 works commenced on excavation of a main channel ( 8 km long and 1 . 2 m deep ) which tapped the cardinia creek and channelled water into westernport bay at moody ' s inlet . other smaller drains ( eg . toomuc ) were dug . one of the landholders ( mcgregor ) also built an embankment to hold back water on his property called ' dalmore ' . landholders carried out drainage works with shovels and wheelbarrows . vegetation was knocked down and burnt and the land was ploughed . some farmers flooded each other ' s land with their own drainage works and major floods still occurred ( eg . 1891 ) .
a major flood in 1900 resulted in damage to crops ( eg . potatoes , onions , oats ) and dairy cows drowned . further widening of the main drain took place and more subsidiary drains were dug . a change from block allocation to land selection resulted in farmers from other regions ( eg . ballarat , drouin ) moving in to the area and bringing cropping skills . in the first decade of the 1900 ' s this area became the ' potato capital ' of victoria .
increased demands for vegetables for canning was generated during world war 1 ( 1914 - 1918 ) and vegetable growing was encouraged . labour shortages at this time were offset by the introduction of a steam - driven bucket dredge , which was used on the wider sections of the larger drains ( eg . main , yallock , cardinia ) . it had a capacity of 60 cubic metres per day ( versus 8 . 5 for a ' good man ' ) .
at the end of world war 1 , the government purchased large properties in a number of regions of victoria and divided them into smaller holdings , which were allocated to returned soldiers . within this area some of the larger properties ( such as ' dalmore ' ) were subdivided under this scheme . some minor flooding occurred in 1920 and 1921 . by 1923 almost 6500 hectares of potatoes were planted ( goudie 1942 ) .
a thriving sand industry also developed in the area . sand was excavated from the main drains and transported to melbourne by railway where it was in demand as building material . the rate of erosion upstream decreased ( naturally and as a result of control measures ) and the supply of sand was depleted within a few years .
the tarago reservoir was constructed in 1969 ( to supply water to the mornington peninsula ) which enabled more flood control downstream .
example of subsurface drainage in dalmore clay soil . these drains are generally located just below the peat layer and are partially backfilled with gravel
in recent years the groundwater levels have recovered . this has been largely due to groundwater extraction controls and the construction of dams to store water pumped from drains during periods of high water flow .
annett and imhof ( 1991 ) assessed changes in landuse for the former shire of cranbourne from 1979 to 1989 . these changes were estimated from aerial photo interpretation . urban land use increased by an estimated 2200 hectares and in 1989 covered some 8 % of the study area . much of this urban expansion has occurred around cranbourne , hampton park , langwarrin and carrum downs . associated with this urban increase has been an increase in sand quarrying . the area excavated for sand had increased an estimated 390 hectares ( 83 % ) over the same period . sand mining in the cranbourne region supplies about 15 % of melbourne ' s sand requirements ( cochrane
1991 ) . a large area of quaternary sand deposits are preserved in the cranbourne royal botanic gardens extension .
market gardening on sandy soils had also increased significantly ( approximately 40 % ) over this period . this expansion has occurred primarily as consolidation of existing farms around cranbourne , fiveways and devon meadows . smaller , new operations have developed around pearcedale and langwarrin . the increase in market gardening has no doubt been a result of migration of these activities from other areas closer to melbourne ( eg . dingley , oakleigh ) as a result of urban expansion pressures . continued urban expansion around cranbourne , pearcedale and langwarrin may impact greatly on these operations . in the south - eastern growth corridor it is expected that the metropolitan area will expand to cranbourne in the south . cranbourne is anticipated to house about 80 000 people (
24 / 11 / 90 ) . apart from using land suitable for market gardening ( eg . cranbourne sands ) , urbanisation will invariably result in an increase in land prices in surrounding areas . other problems faced by farmers on the urban fringes include the need for greater security and community concern over some farming practices ( eg . spraying near urban areas ) .
annett , s and imhof , m . p . ( 1991 ) assessing changes in rural land use in gippsland - a case study using geographic information systems ( gis ) . draft report , department of agriculture .
cochrane , g . w . , quick , g . w . and spencer - jones , d . ( eds . ) ( 1991 ) . introducing victorian geology . geological society of australia ( victorian division ) . melbourne .
floods in 1911 and 1934 required the enlargement of drains and construction of additional outfalls . clearing of land at the headwaters has caused increased run - off , and floodwater detritus that banks up where stream velocities falter causes flooding unless removed . improvements and maintenance are therefore continual . moving from west to east there are drains into western port bay at sawtell inlet ( tooradin ) , at 4 km eastwards for the toomuc , cardinia and deep creeks , at 2 km further eastwards for the bunyip and tarago rivers ( the main drain ) , and at the yallock creek .
that ' s james rouse , my great grandfather , above . he was born july 26 , 1862 at stratford on avon in england and died at cora lynn on august 29 , 1939 . he had married annie glover of clydebank ( victoria ) on february 2 , 1892 and they had five children . sadly annie , born july 7 , 1865 died in february 7 , 1899 aged 33 . she was pre - deceased by their two daughters ruth and annie . another daughter emily died in tragic circumstances - she was found drowned in the yarra on august 24 , 1919 aged 25 . lucy ( born september 2 , 1895 ) died october 27 , 1981 . we knew her very well and saw a lot of her . she was living at garfield when she died . finally , my grand father joseph albert rouse was born at clydebank on november 9 , 1892 and died september 3 , 1954 .
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to me this tower was built so there was a place to sell the best donuts ever . checked out the . . .
to me this tower was built so there was a place to sell the best donuts ever . checked out the tower . . . not bad . wandered over to grab a couple of donuts . . . i had low expectations . . . then my mind was blown , i wanted to go back for more , omg . . .
we came for the views and stayed for the amazing dim sims and jam doughnuts that a sold most days out of a van in car park . the lookout itself is quite plan but a very worthwhile sight . plenty of points of historical interest at . . .
i ' ve passed this lookout so many times before . we decided to pull in and see what it has to offer . beautiful views of the surrounding area , that ' s what . well worth a stop to break up a long drive if you ' re passing by .
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dandenong advertiser and cranbourne , berwick and oakleigh advocate ( vic . : 1914 - 1918 )
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gayle is an accountant . shh – don’t tell . she thinks she’s a writer . check out her short stories and nano fiction at
it ' s worth stopping just for the vistas from the tower which provides 360 degree sweeping views of the surrounding area . the waters of westernport bay are visible to the south . a distance and direction marker on the top platform points to over 30 different locations ; san remo 35km south , tooradin 7km west , melbourne 58km north - west , warragul 40km north - east .
the tower is accessed by stairs which curve around supporting poles . it is rather tall but even though heights bother me i felt secure enough to get to the top . the structure is very stable , the stairs and platform are enclosed by high , closely spaced railings and the stairs themselves are wide enough to be comfortable but narrow enough to enable you to hold the railings on both sides .
the car park and reserve are well maintained and the grass looked freshly mowed when i arrived . there is a shelter with a picnic table , and several open air tables . a ring of wooden benches would serve well for group seating . a small bridge crossing a dip in the picnic grounds adds charm to the area . there are ample rubbish bins .
during busy periods , a van selling hot donuts can be found at the reserve and is easily visible from the road . just another reason to take a break .
the reserve is fenced but there is access to a small path at the back which leads through interesting vegetation to the bunyip river . i walked the path but plants are encroaching on either side making it unsuitable for children . walkers would be advised to keep an eye out for snakes in the warmer months . shrubbery with a variety of flowers and reeds along the water are worth a look . birdlife is prevalent in the bushland around the reserve . fairy wrens were about in abundance .
why ? take a break from the drive and soak up some superb views .
what a good place to stop and rest on the way to phillip island .
great article - well written and great photos gayle . there is so much to discover about australia .
we have driven past this so many times and never stopped to look . it ' s so easy to miss things .