Astreopora listeri

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Astreopora listeri
Astreopora listeri Reunion.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Petalonamae
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Acroporidae
Genus: Astreopora
Species:
A. listeri
Binomial name
Astreopora listeri
Bernard, 1896 [2]
Synonyms
  • Astreopora hirsuta Bernard, 1896
  • Astreopora horizontalis Bernard, 1896

Astreopora listeri is a species of hard coral found in shallow water in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is an uncommon species with a wide range and is tolerant of turbid water, making it more resilient than some other corals to habitat disturbance. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]

Contents

Description

Astreopora listeri may form hemispherical mounds or flattened and partially encrusting colonies. The corallites are crowded and not arranged in any particular pattern. They are immersed and have small circular openings surrounded by delicate feathery spinules, giving the colony a rough surface. This coral resembles Astreopora myriophthalma and Astreopora randalli in appearance and is usually cream, pale brown or grey. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Astreopora listeri is widely distributed in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. Its range extends from Madagascar and East Africa to Indonesia and eastern Australia. It is found in several different types of shallow water reef habitat including turbid areas, [3] at depths between 5 and 20 m (16 and 66 ft). [1]

Ecology

Astreopora listeri is a zooxanthellate species of coral, [4] harbouring symbiotic dinoflagellates which provide their host with the products of photosynthesis. [5] This coral is sometimes host to the bio-eroding demosponge Cliona orientalis which attacks various calcareous substrates including corals and weakens their structure. [6]

Status

The greatest threats faced by corals are loss of habitat and global climate change. The specific threats faced by this species are unknown, but the genus is susceptible to bleaching and coral diseases. However, this is a widespread species, with a presumed large total population which is tolerant of turbid conditions, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Astreopora</i> Genus of corals

Astreopora is a genus of stony corals in the Acroporidae family. Members of the genus are commonly known as star corals and there are seventeen species currently recognized.

Acropora lovelli is a species of acroporid coral found in the northern Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia and the oceanic west Pacific Ocean. It can also be found in Palau and the southern Mariana Islands, the Red Sea, Mauritius, Tuha'a Pae, the Pitcairn Islands and Rodrigues. It occurs in shallow tropical reefs, in shallow protected lagoons and at lagoon entrances, to depths from 1–10 m.

<i>Acropora microphthalma</i> Species of coral

Acropora microphthalma is a species of acroporid coral found in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the southwest and northern Indian Ocean, the central Indo-Pacific, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japan, the East China Sea and the oceanic west and central Pacific Ocean. It is also found in the Line Islands. It occurs in shallow tropical reefs on upper reef slopes, in turbid water and in sandy lagoons. It can be found from depths of 5–25 m.

<i>Turbinaria stellulata</i> Species of coral

Turbinaria stellulata, also known as disc coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Dendrophylliidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "vulnerable".

<i>Turbinaria mesenterina</i> Species of coral

Turbinaria mesenterina, commonly known as disc coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Dendrophylliidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "vulnerable".

<i>Turbinaria peltata</i> Species of cnidarian

Turbinaria peltata, commonly known as disc coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Dendrophylliidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "vulnerable".

Turbinaria radicalis, also known as disc coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Dendrophylliidae. It is native to the central Indo-Pacific, tropical and sub-tropical Australia, the South China Sea, northern Australia and the West Pacific. It is a zooxanthellate coral that houses symbiont dinoflagellates in its tissues. It is a rare coral throughout its range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "near-threatened".

<i>Herpolitha</i> Genus of corals

Herpolitha is a monotypic genus of mushroom corals in the family Fungiidae. The only member of the genus is Herpolitha limax, commonly known as the tongue, slipper, mole or striate boomerang coral. It is a free-living species and is native to reefs and lagoons in the Indo-Pacific region. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed this coral as being of "least concern".

<i>Seriatopora hystrix</i> Species of coral

Seriatopora hystrix is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Pocilloporidae. It forms a branching clump and is commonly known as thin birdsnest coral. It grows in shallow water on fore-reef slopes or in sheltered lagoons, the type locality being the Red Sea. It is native to East Africa, the Red Sea and the western Indo-Pacific region. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<i>Pavona bipartita</i> Species of coral

Pavona bipartita, sometimes known as leaf coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Agariciidae. It is found in shallow water, on reef slopes and on vertical surfaces, in tropical parts of the western and central Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Pavona decussata</i> Species of coral

Pavona decussata, sometimes known as leaf coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Agariciidae. It is found in shallow water in various reef habitats, particularly on gently sloping surfaces, in tropical parts of the western and central Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Goniastrea stelligera</i> Species of coral

Goniastrea stelligera, commonly known as knob coral, is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It occurs in shallow water on the coast of East Africa and in the Indo-Pacific region. This is a common species of coral but it seems to be decreasing in abundance. The main threat it faces is from the destruction of its coral reef habitat, and it is also moderately susceptible to coral bleaching, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "near threatened".

Favites valenciennesi is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region and its range extends from Madagascar through the Indian Ocean to the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. This is a generally uncommon species but has a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being a "near-threatened species".

<i>Astreopora myriophthalma</i> Species of coral

Astreopora myriophthalma, sometimes known as porous star coral, is a species of hard coral found in shallow water in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<i>Astreopora gracilis</i> Species of coral

Astreopora gracilis is a species of hard coral found in shallow water in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is an uncommon species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Cliona orientalis is a species of demosponge in the family Clionaidae. It occurs in the Indo-Pacific region and is a bioeroding species, with various specialisations for living on and inside calcareous substrates such as massive corals and molluscs.

Goniopora tenuidens is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Poritidae. It occurs in shallow water in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<i>Dipsastraea pallida</i> Species of coral

Dipsastraea pallida is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It is found in tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This is a common species of coral with a widespread distribution, and the main threat it faces is from the destruction of its coral reef habitats. It is rated as a "least-concern species" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This species was first described in 1846 as Favia pallida by the American zoologist James Dwight Dana; it was later transferred to the genus Dipsastraea, but some authorities continue to use the original name.

<i>Stylophora madagascarensis</i> Species of coral

Stylophora madagascarensis is a species of stony coral in the family Pocilloporidae. It is native to the tropical western Indian Ocean where it is confined to the coasts of Madagascar, growing in shallow water.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Richards, Z.T.; Delbeek, J.T.; Lovell, E.R.; Bass, D.; Aeby, G.; Reboton, C. (2014). "Astreopora listeri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T133267A54226156. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T133267A54226156.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Hoeksema, Bert (2018). "Astreopora listeri Bernard, 1896". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 " Astreopora listeri Bernard, 1896". Coral fact sheets. AIMS. 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  4. Cairns, S.D.; Hoeksema, Bert; Van der Land, Jacob (1999). "List of extant stony corals". Atoll Research Bulletin. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  5. Ruppert, Edward E.; Fox, Richard, S.; Barnes, Robert D. (2004). Invertebrate Zoology, 7th edition. Cengage Learning. p. 122. ISBN   978-81-315-0104-7.
  6. Schönberg, Christine H. L. (2002). "Substrate Effects on the Bioeroding Demosponge Cliona orientalis 1. Bioerosion Rates". Marine Ecology. 23 (4): 313–326. Bibcode:2002MarEc..23..313S. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0485.2002.02811.x.