page_title: List of cnidarians of Ireland
section_title: Family Alcyoniidae
hierarchical_section_title: List of cnidarians of Ireland / Class Anthozoa / Order Alcyonacea (soft corals) / Family Alcyoniidae
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Tote Meerhand (Alcyonium digitatum)
context_page_description: There are 302 species of cnidarians recorded in Ireland.
  The cnidarians' distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that they use mainly for capturing prey. Their bodies consist of mesoglea, a non-living jelly-like substance, sandwiched between two layers of epithelium that are mostly one cell thick. They have two basic body forms: swimming medusae and sessile polyps, both of which are radially symmetrical with mouths surrounded by tentacles that bear cnidocytes. Both forms have a single orifice and body cavity that are used for digestion and respiration. Many cnidarian species produce colonies that are single organisms composed of medusa-like or polyp-like zooids, or both.
  Cnidarians found in Ireland and Irish waters include sea pens, sea anemones, hydroids, sea jellies and corals.
context_section_description: Alcyonium digitatum (dead man's fingers)
  Alcyonium glomeratum (red sea fingers)
  Alcyonium hibernicum (pink sea fingers)
  Parerythropodium coralloides
caption: Alcyonium digitatum (dead man's fingers)
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