Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 1/58 Scleractinian Coral Taxonomy Pierre MADL in cooperation with Robert SCHABETSBERGER & Cetka LIPOVNIK Web-References: http://coral.aims.gov.au/info/about.jsp or http://coral.aims.gov.au/info/search.jsp http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/coral/family.htm or http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/reefs/reefs.htm http://eol.org/ http://macinivnw.deviantart.com/art/Coral-Reef-and-Tropical-Fish-in-Sunlight-377307367 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 2/58 Position of Scleractinia within the phylum Cnidaria Mather & Benett (1994) Global diversity of Scleractinian Coral Species http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 3/58 Coral Colony Morphology found on modern reefs http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 4/58 Corallite Arrangement http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 5/58 Key features of Corallite Morphology Left: Patterns of asexual reproduction extratentacular budding among stony corals used for taxonomic indentification Right: (e.g. Faviidae) Intratentacular budding http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 6/58 Selected extant skeletal specimens from the Class Anthozoa – Order Scleractinia & few from the Class Octocorallia Family Acroporidae: (Gk. akron, extremity, summit; L. porous, Key to the family Acroporidae pore)....relating to the presence of a corallite at the tip of each branch. No axial corallite Indo-Pacific genera:----------------------------- Corallites <2mm in diameter, columella absent Anacropora (Gk. an-, without; akron, extremity; L. porus, Branches without basal structures: Genus pore), Anacropora Astreopora (Gk. aster, star; L. porus, pore) Branches with basal structures: Genus Circum-tropical genera:------------------------- Montipora Montipora (L. mons, mountain; porus, pore), Corallites obvious (>2mm), columella present: Genus Acropora (Gk. akron, extremity; L. porus, pore) Astreopora Axial corallites on branch ends: Genus Acropora Montipora sp. oder M.corbettensis Growth form: leafy, encrusting, semi-massive, rarely branched; Corallite wall: no projections; Corallite arrangement: randomly distributed, sometimes crowded; Coenosteum: porous with prominent tubercles; Verrucae: none; Septa: rudimentary, if visible in 2 cycles; Skeleton: perforate, spongy; Columella: absent http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0249 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 7/58 Acropora valida Growth form: branching (caespitose, bottlebrush, aborescent), encrusting or sub-massive; Corallite: bimodal (dominant axial & secondary radial); 0.5-4 mm in diameter (dominant apical corallites), rarely superficial, generally exsert by 2-5 mm, porous walls; Corallite arrangement: well spaced, about 1-5 mm in range; Coenosteum: porous; Verrucae: none; Septa: often poorly developed but usually 12 or less; septal margins smooth or granular, occasionally with irregular small teeth; Skeleton: porous; Columella: absent s/t very minute) http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0077 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 8/58 Acropora palmata Growth form: branching, aborescent, bifacial; Corallite: 1-3 mm diameter, porous with distinct wall; Corallite arrangement: randomly scattered; Coenosteum: porous; Verrucae: none; Septa: rudimentary http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0899 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 9/58 Family Astrocoeniidae: (Gk. aster, star; koinos, shared)…. most likely Key to the family Astrocoeniidae relating to the shared walls of each calice. Indo-Pacific genera:----------------------------- Colonies encrusting, corallites inconspicuous Stylocoeniella (Gk. stylos, pillar; koinos, shared; L. –ellus, Coenosteum style present: Genus Stylocoeniella diminuitive suffix) , No coenosteum style: Genus Stephanocoenia Palauastrea (Island of Palau, location first found; Gk. aster, star) Colonies becoming branching, corallites conspicuous Circum-tropic genus:----------------------------- Septa with free margins: Genus Palauastrea Madracis (madre, mother; Gk. akis, point) Septa fused with columella: Genus Madracis Atlantic genus:------------------------------------- Stephanocoenia (Gk. stephos, crown; koinos, shared) Stylocoeniella sp. possibly S.guentheri Growth form: small encrusting or knobby; Corallite: immersed, circular & 1 mm in diameter; Corallite arrangement: well spaced; Coenosteum: rough, covered with small intercorallite pillars protrudes b/w calices; Septa: 6x2 septa, their margins beaded, septocostae absent; Skeleton: imperforate; Columella: small & styliform http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0344 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 10/58 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 11/58 Family Pocilloporidae: (L. pocillum, cup, bowl; L. porous, pore)…. Key to the family Pocilloporidae Presumably relating to the appearance of the callices, which look like tiny, little shallow cups. Colonies have verrucae: Genus Pocillopora Indo-Pacific genera only:----------------------- Colonies do not have verrucae Pocillopora (L. pocillum, cup or bowl; porus, pore), Branches fine (<10mm diameter): Genus Seriatopora Seriatopora (L. seriatus, arranged in series; porus, pore), Branches robust (>10mm diameter): Genus Stylophora Stylophora (Gk. stylus, pillar; Gk. phero, to bear) Pocillopora damicornis Growth form: sturdy branched colony w/ fine & irregular tips; Corallite wall: no projections; Corallite arrangement: immersed, crowded & hollow; Coenosteum: granulous; Verrucae: present, s/t very dominant & branch-like; Septa: if present then 12 poorly developed; Skeleton: imperforate; Columella: tiny & styliform http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0307 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 12/58 Pocillopora sp. Growth form: sub-massive to branched colony w/ stout tips; Corallite wall: no projections; Calice arrangement: crowded & hollow; Coenosteum: granulous; Verrucae: present, s/t very dominant & branch-like; Septa: if then 12 poorly developed; Skeleton: imperforate; Columella: tiny & styliform http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0307 Seriatopora hystrix Growth form: slender, up to 150 mm long anastomosing (fusing) branches, few mm thick; Corallite wall: rare, w/ small hoods; Corallite arrangement: in rows & well spaced; Coenosteum: w/ small tubercules; Verrucae: none; Septa: if , 1x6 poorly developed; Skeleton: n.a.; Columella: well-expressed & platelike http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0342 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 13/58 Seriatopora sp. Growth form: slender branches, few mm thick; Corallite wall: rare, w/ small hoods; Corallite arrangement: in rows & well spaced; Coenosteum: w/ small tubercules; Verrucae: none; Septa: if, 1x6 poorly developed; Skeleton: n.a.; Columella: well-expressed & platelike http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0342 Stylophora sp. possibly S.danae Growth form: sub-massive to knobby w/ sturdy, s/t anastomosing branches; Corallite wall: arched w/ hoods on distal part of branch; Corallite arrangement: immersed on proximal part of branch, plocoid to loosely distributed; Coenosteum: dotted w/ spiculi; Verrucae: none; Septa: typically 12 with only 6 well developed; Skeleton: imperforate; Columella: styliform http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0885 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 14/58 Stylophora sp. possibly S.subseriata Growth form: sturdy, s/t anastomosing branches about 5 mm thick; Corallite wall: crowned w/ spiculi, some quote dominant as stylus; Corallite arrangement: plocoid; Coenosteum: dotted w/ spiculi; Verrucae: none; Septa: typically 24 dominat primary cycle; Skeleton: imperforate; Columella: distinct & styliform http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0883 http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 15/58 Family Euphyllidae: (Gk. eu-, true; Gk. phyllon, leaf)…. possibly Key to the family Euphyllidae relating to the prominent leafy septa. Indo-Pacific genera only:---------------------- Colonies do not have vesicles extended during daytime Euphyllia (Gk. ei-, true; phyllon, leaf), Colonies have V-shaped valleys: Genus Catalaphyllia Catalaphyllia (named after R. Catala; Gk. phyllon, leaf), Colonies do not have V-shaped valleys Nemenzophyllia (?; Gk phyllon, leaf), Colonies have tentacles: Genus Euphyllia Plerogyra (Gk. pleres, full; gyrus, circle), Colonies have mantles: Genus Nemenzophyllia Physogyra (Gk. physa, air bubble; gyrus, circle) Colonies have vesicles or mantles extended during daytime Colonies not massive: Genus Plerogyra Colonies massive: Genus Plysogyra http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/talk/coral-lecture.pdf Coral lecture (@ PLUS SS 2014) 16/58 Family Oculinidae: (L. oculus, eye; L. –ina, like) …. presumably Key to the family Oculinidae relating to the eye-like appearance of the calices. Septa <2mm exsert Altlantic genera:----------------------------------- Colony branching Oculina (L. oculus, eye; -ina, suffix denoting likeness) Budding intratentacular: Genus Oculina Schizoculina (Gk. schizos, split; L. oculus, eye) Budding extratentacular: