| Acropora pulchra | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Hexacorallia |
| Order: | Scleractinia |
| Family: | Acroporidae |
| Genus: | Acropora |
| Species: | A. pulchra |
| Binomial name | |
| Acropora pulchra (Brook, 1891) [2] | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Acropora pulchra is a species of colonial staghorn coral in the family Acroporidae. It is found on the back fringes of reefs in shallow water in the western Indo-Pacific Ocean. The oldest fossils of this species date back to the Pleistocene. [3]
The stony skeleton of Acropora pulchra takes on various forms. It is a branching species, sometimes being tree-like and forming thickets and in other locations forming tangled colonies with level upper surfaces. The branches are up to 12 mm (0.5 in) in diameter and up to 18 cm (7 in) long. Often the whole colony spreads horizontally and is no more than 5 cm (2 in) thick. The growth habit largely depends on where the coral is growing in relation to the tide levels. The polyps protrude from little cup-shaped depressions called corallites which are widely spaced on the branches and which have elongated lower lips. The colour of this coral varies from blue to various shades of brown, often with pale blue tips to the branches. [2] [3]
Acropora pulchra is found in the western Indo-Pacific region, its range extending from the Gulf of Aden to Southeast Asia, Japan, the East China Sea and Australia. [1] It chiefly grows at depths which range from 1 to 20 metres (3 ft 3 in to 65 ft 7 in) on back reef fringes and flats and in reef lagoons, often growing among the closely related coral species Acropora aspera . [2]
The polyps of Acropora pulchra extend their tentacles to catch plankton. However, much of the nutrition the coral receives comes from the symbiotic zooxanthellae found in the tissues. These photosynthetic dinoflagellates produce energy when exposed to sunlight and the coral makes use of this. Acropora spp. corals are slow-growing and flourish in clear water. They are particularly sensitive to sediment, pollution and algal blooms, which cloud the water and reduce the amount of incoming sunlight. Nor do they like temperatures outside the range 66 °F (19 °C) to 86 °F (30 °C). If the sea gets too hot they may expel the zooxanthellae and this causes bleaching of the coral. [4]
Acropora pulchra synchronizes its reproductive activities with the phase of the moon so that all the corals in one locality spawn on the same couple of days, although the date varies between the northern and southern hemispheres and different parts of the coral's range. [3] It can also reproduce asexually when broken fragments of coral come to rest in positions where they can establish themselves. [3] Experiments have been carried out on the feasibility of transplanting this coral to other suitable habitats where it is not native. These trials were successful but transplants were adversely affected by excess sedimentation and tended to grow more slowly than control corals. [5]
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists Acropora pulchra as being of "least concern" because it has a large range and although often uncommon, it is the dominant species in some localities. The chief threats it faces are from the general destruction of coral reefs, ocean acidification, raised sea temperatures, and coral diseases. The crown-of-thorns starfish feeds preferentially on Acropora species corals, and it sometimes has sudden, unexpected increases in population which may threaten this coral. [6]
Acroporidae is a family of small polyped stony corals in the phylum Cnidaria. The name is derived from the Greek "akron" meaning "summit" and refers to the presence of a corallite at the tip of each branch of coral. They are commonly known as staghorn corals and are grown in aquaria by reef hobbyists.
Acropora secale is a species of branching staghorn stony coral. It is found in shallow parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean and the type locality is Sri Lanka. The oldest fossils found date back to the Pleistocene.
Acropora aspera is a species of staghorn coral in the family Acroporidae. It is found on reef flats and in lagoons in very shallow water in the western Indo-Pacific Ocean.
Isopora palifera is a species of stony coral in the family Acroporidae. It is a reef building coral living in shallow water and adopts different forms depending on the water conditions where it is situated. It is found in the Western Indo-Pacific Ocean as far east as Australia.
Acropora grandis is a species of colonial stony coral. It is a large species with multiple branches forming a bush-like structure and is found on reefs and in lagoons. It is native to the tropical western Indo-Pacific and has a range extending from East Africa to the east coast of Australia.
Acropora loripes is a species of branching colonial stony coral. It is common on reefs, upper reef slopes and reef flats in the tropical Indo-Pacific. Its type locality is the Great Barrier Reef.
Acropora nasuta is a species of branching stony coral in the family Acroporidae. It is native to the western and central Indo-Pacific where it is found in shallow reef habitats. Like other corals of the genus Acropora, it is susceptible to coral bleaching and coral diseases and the IUCN has listed it as being "Near Threatened".
Acropora hyacinthus is a species of Acropora described from a specimen collected in Fiji by James Dwight Dana in 1846. It is thought to have a range that includes the Indian Ocean, the Indo-Pacific waters, southeast Asia, Japan, the East China Sea and the western Pacific Ocean. It lives on shallow reefs on upper reef slopes, and is found from depths of 1–25 m. Crown-of-thorns starfish preferentially prey upon Acropora corals.
The branch coral is a species of acroporid coral found in the southwest and northern Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japan and the East China Sea, Cook Islands and the oceanic west Pacific Ocean. It can be found in shallow reefs on the reef tops, walls and slopes to depths of 30 m.
Acropora awi is a species of acroporid coral that was described by Wallace and Wolstenholme in 1998. Found in fringing reefs, the slopes of shallow reefs, and sandy slopes, it occurs in a marine environment. The species is rated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing population, and is easily damaged. It can be found over a large area but is not abundant.
Acropora batunai is a species of acroporid coral that was described by Carden Wallace in 1997. Found in protected, shallow reefs, it occurs in a marine environment at depths of up to 44 m (144 ft). The species is rated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing population, and is extremely fragile. It can be found over a large area but, overall, is not common.
Acropora derawanensis is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Carden Wallace in 1997. Found in tropical, shallow reefs sheltered from the waves in a marine environment, it is found at depths of 10 to 25 m on reef slopes. The species is rated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing population. It is not common but found over a large area, and is listed on CITES Appendix II. It is easily damaged.
Acropora elegans is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Henri Milne-Edwards in 1860. Found in sheltered, sloping reefs, this species occurs at 30 to 60 m depth. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and has a decreasing population. It is not common and has a small range, and is listed under CITES Appendix II. It is more resistant to disease than other Acropora species.
Acropora horrida is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by James Dwight Dana in 1846. Found in tropical, shallow reefs in marine environments, it occurs near fringing reefs around turbid water, at depths of 5 to 20 m. It is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and it is thought to have a decreasing population. It is not common and found over a large area, and is listed under CITES Appendix II.
Acropora kirstyae is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Jen Veron and C. C. Wallace in 1984. Found in marine, tropical, shallow reefs in sheltered areas usually at depths of 10 to 25 m, and also occurs in sheltered lagoons. It is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and it is thought to have a decreasing population. It is not common and found over a large area, and is listed on CITES Appendix II.
Acropora loisetteae is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by C. C. Wallace in 1994. Found in marine, tropical, shallow reefs in sheltered lagoons, it is found at depths between 1 and 30 m. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and it is thought to have a decreasing population. It is not common but found over a large area, and is listed under CITES Appendix II.
Acropora lokani is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by C. C. Wallace in 1994. Found in marine, shallow reefs and sheltered lagoons, it occurs at depths between 8 and 25 m. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and is believed to have a decreasing population. It is not common but found over a large area, including in three regions of Indonedia, and is listed under CITES Appendix II.
Acropora papillare is a species of acroporid coral that was first described by Latypov in 1992. Found in marine, tropical, shallow reefs in areas exposed to waves, it occurs at depths of between 1 and 5 m. It is classed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and it has a decreasing population. It is uncommon but found over a large area, including in three regions of Indonesia, and is classified under CITES Appendix II.
Acropora rudis is a species of acroporid coral found in the Indo-Pacific region. It is an uncommon species and is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as an endangered species because it is particularly susceptible to coral bleaching, coral diseases, damage by the crown-of-thorns starfish and destruction of its coral reef habitat.
Anacropora forbesi is a species of briar coral that can be found in the tropical western and central Indo-Pacific region. It is the type species of the genus Anacropora.
