Overview
Brief Summary
The soft corals and their relatives (alcyonarians) are abundant and conspicuous components of western Indo-Pacific coral reef communities. Of the soft corals, the strikingly colored species of Dendronephthya are among the most abundant and widespread. They occur in areas periodically exposed to moderate or strong currents, usually below 10 to 15 m depth. When fully expanded, colonies resemble cotton candy, exhibiting dazzling shades of pink, red, blue, purple, yellow, and white. The colonies are densely branched and have a prickly appearance due to the sharp supporting bundles of calcareous particles on each polyp. Dendronephthya species diversity is poorly known and some of the several hundred described species may actually represent intraspecific color variation rather than distinct species. The genus ranges throughout the western Indo-Pacific.
Dendronephthya corals are among the most commonly traded soft corals. Between 1988 and 2002 at least 12,618 Dendronephthya were traded globally (the U.S. was the largest importer, with 51% of the total Dendronephthya trade, and Indonesia was the biggest exporter). However, corals in this genus are poor choices for aquarium hobbyists. They generally die within a few weeks, mainly because they lack photosynthetic "algal" symbionts (zooxanthellae) and must rely instead on filtering food particles and dissolved nutrients from the water column.
(Allen 1997, 2000; Wabnitz 2003)
- Allen, G.A. 1997. Tropical Marine Life. Periplus Editions, Tuttle Publishing, North Clarendon, Vermont.
- Allen, G. 2000. Marine Life of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Periplus Editions, Tuttle Publishing, North Clarendon, Vermont.
- Wabnitz, C. 2003. From ocean to aquarium: the global trade in marine ornamental species. UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, UNEP/Earthprint, Cambridge, UK.
Supplier: Leo Shapiro
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Ecology
Habitat
Depth range based on 1296 specimens in 93 taxa.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 484 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 1 - 282.5
Temperature range (°C): 12.735 - 28.954
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.046 - 26.844
Salinity (PPS): 33.939 - 40.264
Oxygen (ml/l): 1.316 - 4.999
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.054 - 1.847
Silicate (umol/l): 0.380 - 35.088
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 1 - 282.5
Temperature range (°C): 12.735 - 28.954
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.046 - 26.844
Salinity (PPS): 33.939 - 40.264
Oxygen (ml/l): 1.316 - 4.999
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.054 - 1.847
Silicate (umol/l): 0.380 - 35.088
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 484 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 1 - 282.5
Temperature range (°C): 12.735 - 28.954
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.046 - 26.844
Salinity (PPS): 33.939 - 40.264
Oxygen (ml/l): 1.316 - 4.999
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.054 - 1.847
Silicate (umol/l): 0.380 - 35.088
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 1 - 282.5
Temperature range (°C): 12.735 - 28.954
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.046 - 26.844
Salinity (PPS): 33.939 - 40.264
Oxygen (ml/l): 1.316 - 4.999
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.054 - 1.847
Silicate (umol/l): 0.380 - 35.088
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Evolution and Systematics
Functional Adaptations
Functional adaptation
Strategies prevent biofouling: soft coral
"It has been demonstrated in previous studies that the soft corals Dendronephthya sp. can control macrofouling on its surface by the production of secondary metabolites (Kawamata et al., 1994; Wilsanand et al., 1999). Water-soluble, low-molecular-weight substances from the soft coral Dendronephthya sp. inhibited the settlement of larvae of B. [Balanus] amphitrite (Kawamata et al., 1994) and the compound was identical to trigonelline, which belongs to the betaine group. Our previous study showed that the different organic extracts of the soft coral Dendronephthya sp. inhibited the growth and attachment of bacteria from natural biofilm on rocks and that the species composition of the bacteria on the surface of the coral was different from that on inanimate surface (Harder et al., 2003). Three out of eleven bacterial strains isolated from the surface of the Dendronephthya sp. suppressed the growth of indigenous bacteria from natural biofilm. All bacterial isolates associated with the surface of the soft coral were insensitive to coral extracts. These findings suggest that this soft coral may directly inhibit larval settlement by releasing antifouling compounds or indirectly inhibit larval settlement by regulating the growth of some bacteria on the coral surface, which in turn affects larval attachment." (Dobretsov and Qian 2004:45)
Learn more about this functional adaptation.
Soft corals prevent biofouling by releasing metabolites and encouraging populations of certain bacteria.
"It has been demonstrated in previous studies that the soft corals Dendronephthya sp. can control macrofouling on its surface by the production of secondary metabolites (Kawamata et al., 1994; Wilsanand et al., 1999). Water-soluble, low-molecular-weight substances from the soft coral Dendronephthya sp. inhibited the settlement of larvae of B. [Balanus] amphitrite (Kawamata et al., 1994) and the compound was identical to trigonelline, which belongs to the betaine group. Our previous study showed that the different organic extracts of the soft coral Dendronephthya sp. inhibited the growth and attachment of bacteria from natural biofilm on rocks and that the species composition of the bacteria on the surface of the coral was different from that on inanimate surface (Harder et al., 2003). Three out of eleven bacterial strains isolated from the surface of the Dendronephthya sp. suppressed the growth of indigenous bacteria from natural biofilm. All bacterial isolates associated with the surface of the soft coral were insensitive to coral extracts. These findings suggest that this soft coral may directly inhibit larval settlement by releasing antifouling compounds or indirectly inhibit larval settlement by regulating the growth of some bacteria on the coral surface, which in turn affects larval attachment." (Dobretsov and Qian 2004:45)
Learn more about this functional adaptation.
- Dobretsov S; Qian P-Y. 204. The role of epibotic bacteria from the surface of the soft coral Dendronephthya sp. in the inhibition of larval settlement. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 299(1): 35-50.
© The Biomimicry Institute
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AskNature
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Statistics of barcoding coverage
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
| Specimen Records: | 66 | Public Records: | 7 |
| Specimens with Sequences: | 40 | Public Species: | 6 |
| Specimens with Barcodes: | 12 | Public BINs: | 1 |
| Species: | 7 | ||
| Species With Barcodes: | 7 | ||
© Barcode of Life Data Systems
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Barcode data
© Barcode of Life Data Systems
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Locations of barcode samples
© Barcode of Life Data Systems
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Genomic DNA is available from 1 specimen
© Ocean Genome Legacy
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Ocean Genome Resource
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Genomic DNA is available from 12 specimens with morphological vouchers housed at Queensland Museum
© Ocean Genome Legacy
Source:
Ocean Genome Resource
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Genomic DNA is available from 5 specimens with morphological vouchers housed at Queensland Museum
© Ocean Genome Legacy
Source:
Ocean Genome Resource
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Genomic DNA is available from 4 specimens with morphological vouchers housed at Queensland Museum
© Ocean Genome Legacy
Source:
Ocean Genome Resource
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Genomic DNA is available from 3 specimens with morphological vouchers housed at Queensland Museum
© Ocean Genome Legacy
Source:
Ocean Genome Resource
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Genomic DNA is available from 1 specimen with morphological vouchers housed at Queensland Museum
© Ocean Genome Legacy
Source:
Ocean Genome Resource
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Genomic DNA is available from 2 specimens with morphological vouchers housed at Ocean Genome Legacy
© Ocean Genome Legacy
Source:
Ocean Genome Resource
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Genomic DNA is available from 5 specimens with morphological vouchers housed at National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Auckland
© Ocean Genome Legacy
Source:
Ocean Genome Resource
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Genomic DNA is available from 9 specimens with morphological vouchers housed at National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Auckland
© Ocean Genome Legacy
Source:
Ocean Genome Resource
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Genomic DNA is available from 1 specimen with morphological vouchers housed at Dalhousie University
© Ocean Genome Legacy
Source:
Ocean Genome Resource
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Wikipedia
Dendronephthya
Dendronephthya is a genus of soft corals in the family Nephtheidae.[2] There are over 250 described species in this genus.
Species [edit]
- Dendronephthya acaulis Kükenthal, 1906
- Dendronephthya aculeata Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya agaricoides Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya alba Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya albogilva Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya alcocki Thomson & Henderson, 1906
- Dendronephthya alexanderi Nutting, 1908
- Dendronephthya amaebisclera Thomson & Dean, 1931
- Dendronephthya ambigua Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya andamanensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya andersoni Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya anguina Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya annectens Sherriffs, 1922
- Dendronephthya arakanensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya arborea May, 1899
- Dendronephthya arbuscula Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya argentea Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya armata Holm, 1895
- Dendronephthya armifer Thomson & Dean, 1931
- Dendronephthya aruensis Kükenthal, 1910
- Dendronephthya aspera Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya aurantiaca Thomson & Henderson, 1906
- Dendronephthya aurea Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya aurora Ridley, 1887
- Dendronephthya australis Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya biformata Harrison, 1908
- Dendronephthya binongkoensis Verseveldt, 1966
- Dendronephthya boletiformis Ridley, 1887
- Dendronephthya bonnieri Verseveldt, 1960
- Dendronephthya booleyi Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya boschmai Verseveldt, 1966
- Dendronephthya brachycaulos Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya brevirama Burchardt, 1898
- Dendronephthya bruuni Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
- Dendronephthya caerula Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya candida Pütter, 1900
- Dendronephthya carnea Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya castanea Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya cervicornus Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya chimnoi Harrison, 1908
- Dendronephthya cirsium Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya clara Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya clavata Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya cocosiensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya colemani Verseveldt, 1977
- Dendronephthya collaris Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya colombiensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya composita Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
- Dendronephthya conica Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya coronata Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya costatorubra Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya crassa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya crosslandi Thomson & Henderson, 1906
- Dendronephthya crystallina Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya curvata Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya decipiens Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya decussatospinosa Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya delicatissima Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya dendritica Utinomi, 1954
- Dendronephthya dendrophyta Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya densa Kükenthal, 1906
- Dendronephthya depressa Kükenthal, 1895
- Dendronephthya devexa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya dichotoma Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya disciformis Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya divaricata Gray, 1862
- Dendronephthya doederleini Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya dofleini Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya dollfusi Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
- Dendronephthya dromidicola Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya eburnea Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya echinata Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
- Dendronephthya ehrenbergi Kükenthal, 1904
- Dendronephthya electa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
- Dendronephthya elegans Harrison, 1908
- Dendronephthya elongata Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya erinacea Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya fallax Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
- Dendronephthya featherensis Verseveldt, 1977
- Dendronephthya filigrana Kükenthal, 1906
- Dendronephthya fischeri Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya flabellifera Studer, 1888
- Dendronephthya flammea Sherriffs, 1922
- Dendronephthya flava May, 1899
- Dendronephthya florida Esper, 1791
- Dendronephthya foliata Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya folifera Pütter, 1900
- Dendronephthya formosa Gravier, 1908
- Dendronephthya fragilis Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya furcata Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya fusca Studer, 1894
- Dendronephthya ganjamensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya gardineri Thomson & Mackinnon, 1909
- Dendronephthya gigantea Verrill, 1864
- Dendronephthya gilva Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya gloriosa Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya golgotha Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya gracillima Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya grandiflora Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya gravieri Kükenthal, 1910
- Dendronephthya gregoriensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya griffini Roxas, 1933
- Dendronephthya guggenheimi Roxas, 1933
- Dendronephthya habereri Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya hadzii Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
- Dendronephthya halterosclera Thomson & Dean, 1931
- Dendronephthya harrisoni Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya hartmeyeri Kükenthal, 1903
- Dendronephthya hemprichi Klunzinger, 1877
- Dendronephthya heterocyathus Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya hicksoni Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya hirsuta Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya hyalina Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya hystricosa Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
- Dendronephthya inconfusa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
- Dendronephthya inermis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya inhacaensis Verseveldt, 1960
- Dendronephthya investigata Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
- Dendronephthya involuta Kükenthal, 1895
- Dendronephthya irregularis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya japonica Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya jucunda Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya klunzingeri Studer, 1888)
- Dendronephthya koellikeri Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya kukenthali Gravier, 1908
- Dendronephthya kukenthali Thomson & Henderson, 1906
- Dendronephthya lanxifera Holm, 1895
- Dendronephthya latipes Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya laxa Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya lokobeensis Verseveldt
- Dendronephthya longicaulis Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya longispina Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya lutea Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya macrocaulis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya macrospina Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya magna Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya magnacantha Nutting, 1912
- Dendronephthya malabarensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya malaya Roxas, 1933
- Dendronephthya manyanensis Roxas, 1933
- Dendronephthya marenzelleri Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya masoni Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya maxima Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya mayi Kükelthal, 1904)
- Dendronephthya merguiensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya mertoni Kükenthal, 1910
- Dendronephthya mexicana Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya michaelseni Kükenthal, 1910
- Dendronephthya microspiculata Pütter, 1900
- Dendronephthya minima Verseveldt, 1966
- Dendronephthya mirabilis Tixier-Durivault & Prevorsek, 1962)
- Dendronephthya miriabilis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya mirifica Tixier-Durivault, 1972
- Dendronephthya mollis Holm, 1895
- Dendronephthya monticulosa Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya mortenseni Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
- Dendronephthya moseri Roxas, 1933
- Dendronephthya mucronata Pütier, 1900)
- Dendronephthya multispinosa Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya mutabilis Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
- Dendronephthya natalensis Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya nicobarensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya nigrescens Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya nigripes Nutting, 1912
- Dendronephthya nigrotincta Ridley, 1887
- Dendronephthya nipponica Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya noumeensis Verseveldt, 1974
- Dendronephthya novaezeelandiae Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya obtusa Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya ochracea Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya orientalis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya ovata Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya oviformis Nutting, 1912
- Dendronephthya padavensis Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya palaoensis Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya pallida Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya palmata Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya parvula Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya pectinata Holm, 1895
- Dendronephthya pectinata Song, 1976
- Dendronephthya pellucida Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya pentagona Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya persica Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya pharonis Thomson & Macqueen, 1911
- Dendronephthya planoregularis Burchardt, 1898
- Dendronephthya puetteri Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya pulchella Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya pulchra Thomson & Henderson, 1905
- Dendronephthya pumilio Studer, 1888
- Dendronephthya punctata Kükenthal, 1906
- Dendronephthya punicea Studer, 1888
- Dendronephthya purpurea Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya pustulosa Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya pyriformis Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
- Dendronephthya quadrata Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya querciformis Kükenthal, 1906
- Dendronephthya radiata Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya ramulosa Gray, 1862
- Dendronephthya regia Verseveldt, 1968
- Dendronephthya repens Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya reticulata Thomson & Dean, 1931
- Dendronephthya revelata Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
- Dendronephthya rigida Studer, 1888
- Dendronephthya robusta Kükenthal, 1895
- Dendronephthya roemeri Kükenthal, 1911
- Dendronephthya rosamondae Boone, 1938
- Dendronephthya rosea Kükenthal, 1895
- Dendronephthya rubeola Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya rubescens Harrison, 1908
- Dendronephthya rubescens Thomson & Dean, 1931
- Dendronephthya rubra May, 1899
- Dendronephthya savignyi Ehrenberg, 1843
- Dendronephthya semperi Studer, 1888
- Dendronephthya simplex Sherriffs, 1922
- Dendronephthya sinaiensis Verseveldt, 1971
- Dendronephthya sinensis Pütter, 1900
- Dendronephthya snelliusi Verseveldt, 1966
- Dendronephthya speciosa Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya spinifera Holm, 1895)
- Dendronephthya spinosa Gray, 1862
- Dendronephthya spinulosa Gray, 1862
- Dendronephthya spissa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1962
- Dendronephthya spongiosa Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
- Dendronephthya staphyloidea Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
- Dendronephthya stockci Verseveldt, 1968
- Dendronephthya stolonifera May, 1899
- Dendronephthya studeri Ridley, 1884
- Dendronephthya suensoni Holm, 1895
- Dendronephthya suesiana Thomson & Macqueen, 1907
- Dendronephthya suluensis Verseveldt, 1966
- Dendronephthya surugaensis Imahara, 1977
- Dendronephthya tabaensis Verseveldt & Cohen, 1971
- Dendronephthya tenera Holm, 1895
- Dendronephthya tenuis Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1960
- Dendronephthya thomsoni Harrison, 1908
- Dendronephthya thuja Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya tixierae d'Hondt, 1977
- Dendronephthya translucens Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya tripartita Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya tuberculata Utinomi, 1952
- Dendronephthya uliginosa Thomson & Henderson, 1906
- Dendronephthya umbellata Wright & Studer, 1889
- Dendronephthya utinomii Tixier-Durivault & Prevor, 1959
- Dendronephthya variata Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya varicolor Henderson, 1909
- Dendronephthya vervoorti Verseveldt & van Ofwegen, 1991
- Dendronephthya villosa Kükenthal, 1905
- Dendronephthya waitei Thomson & Mackinnon, 1911
- Dendronephthya weberi Verseveldt, 1966
- Dendronephthya wijsmanae Verseveldt, 1974
- Dendronephthya yamamotoi Utinomi, 1954
- Dendronephthya zanzibarensis Thomson & Henderson, 1906
References [edit]
- ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Spongodes". Marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2012-06-05.
- ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Dendronephthya Kuekenthal, 1905". Marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2012-06-05.
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Wikipedia
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