Ctenella

Last updated

Ctenella
Ctenella.jpg
Ctenella chagius
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Euphylliidae
Genus: Ctenella
Matthai, 1928
Species:
C. chagius
Binomial name
Ctenella chagius
Matthai, 1928

Ctenella is a monotypic genus of stony coral in the family Euphylliidae. It is represented by a single species, Ctenella chagius. These corals are massive in size with meandering valleys between the calyces which have solid, non-porous walls and fine, evenly spaced, solid septae. [2] They are found in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea. [3] It forms solid, smooth hemispherical domes and is found in the Indian Ocean in the vicinity of the Chagos Archipelago.

Contents

Description

Ctenella chagius is a massive, hemispherical, colonial coral with a fissured surface and brain-like appearance. The individual polyps that secrete the stony skeleton project from stony cups called corallites arranged in rows in long meandering valleys. The width between the solid ridges on either side is about 1.5 cm (0.6 in) with the valleys being about 1 cm (0.4 in) deep. The fine septa that radiate from the corallites are closely packed and evenly spaced, some continuing upwards and over the ridges. [4] This coral is a pale brown colour and can grow to a metre (yard) in diameter. It is a zooxanthellate coral and has symbiotic unicellular dinoflagellate algae living within its tissues. [3]

Distribution

Ctenella chagius is found around the Chagos Islands. It is found in lagoons and on reef slopes at depths of up to 45 metres (148 ft). [1]

Status

Ctenella chagius is listed as being "Endangered" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The size of its population is unknown but the reefs on which it lives are being degraded at a faster rate than it is likely to be able to establish new colonies. It is very susceptible to coral bleaching and coral diseases, both of which are on the increase as sea temperatures rise. There are also threats to the coral from human activities but the Chagos Islands are now part of the Chagos Marine Protected Area which should provide a measure of protection for this coral. [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Montipora digitata</i> Species of coral

Montipora digitata, also known as finger coral, is a species of stony coral. It is found in shallow water in East Africa, the Indo-West Pacific, Kenya, Mozambique and Rodriguez.

Meandrinidae Family of corals

The Meandrinidae are a family of stony corals. The name comes from the Greek, maiandros meaning "meandering", referring to the miniature, winding valleys found between the corallites. Fossil corals in this family have been found dating back to the Cretaceous.

<i>Meandrina meandrites</i> Species of coral

Meandrina meandrites, commonly known as maze coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Meandrinidae. It is found primarily on outer coral reef slopes in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

<i>Isophyllia sinuosa</i> Species of coral

Isophyllia sinuosa, the sinuous cactus coral, is a species of stony coral in the family Mussidae. It is found in shallow water in the tropical western Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea.

<i>Lobophyllia corymbosa</i> Species of coral

Lobophyllia corymbosa, also known as lobed cactus coral or brain root coral, is a species of large polyp stony coral in the family Lobophylliidae. It occurs on reefs in shallow waters in the Red Sea, off the coast of East Africa, and in other parts of the tropical Indo-Pacific.

<i>Micromussa lordhowensis</i> Species of coral

Micromussa lordhowensis, previously known as the 'Acan Lord', is a species of stony coral in the family Lobophylliidae. It is a widespread and common coral with large polyps occurring on shallow reefs in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. It was originally classified under the genus Acanthastrea, and reclassified under the genus Micromussa in 2016.

<i>Lobophyllia hemprichii</i> Species of coral

Lobophyllia hemprichii, commonly called lobed brain coral, lobed cactus coral or largebrain root coral, is a species of large polyp stony coral in the family Lobophylliidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. In its specific name Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg honoured his late partner the Prussian naturalist Wilhelm Hemprich; they were among the first to study the marine life of the Red Sea.

<i>Cynarina lacrymalis</i> Species of coral

Cynarina lacrymalis is a species of stony coral in the family Lobophylliidae. It is variously known as the flat cup coral, solitary cup coral, button coral, doughnut coral, or cat's eye coral. It is found in the western Indo-Pacific Ocean and is sometimes kept in reef aquaria.

<i>Anomastraea</i> Genus of corals

Anomastraea is a monotypic genus of corals in the family Coscinaraeidae. It is represented by a single species, the crisp pillow coral.

<i>Paragoniastrea australensis</i> Species of coral

Paragoniastrea australensis, also known as the lesser star coral, is a species of stony corals in the family Merulinidae. It occurs in shallow water in the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Favites pentagona</i> Species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae

Favites pentagona is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae, sometimes known as larger star coral. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region and its range extends from the Red Sea through the Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific Ocean. This is a common species throughout its wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<i>Favites abdita</i> Species of coral

Favites abdita, also known as the larger star coral, is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region and its range extends from East Africa and the Red Sea through the Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific Ocean. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "near-threatened".

<i>Favites complanata</i> Species of coral

Favites complanata is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae, sometimes known as the larger star coral. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region and its range extends from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean to the western and central Pacific Ocean. This is an uncommon species of coral and seems to be decreasing in abundance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "near threatened".

<i>Platygyra lamellina</i> Species of coral

Platygyra lamellina, the hard brain coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It occurs on reefs in shallow water in the Indo-Pacific region. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "near threatened".

<i>Oulophyllia crispa</i> Species of coral

Oulophyllia crispa, sometimes called the intermediate valley coral, is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It is native to the tropical western and central Indo-Pacific region. Although this coral has a wide range, it is generally uncommon and seems to be decreasing in abundance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "near threatened".

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

Goniastrea favulus, also known as the lesser star coral, is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It occurs in shallow water in the Indo-Pacific region. This is an uncommon species of coral and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "near threatened".

<i>Montipora grisea</i> Species of coral

Montipora grisea is a small polyped stony coral in the family Acroporidae.

<i>Manicina areolata</i> Species of coral

Manicina areolata, commonly known as rose coral, is a colonial species of stony coral. It occurs in shallow water in the West Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, sometimes as small solid heads and sometimes as unattached cone-shaped forms.

Horastrea is a monotypic genus of stony coral in the family Coscinaraeidae. It is represented by the single species Horastrea indica, the blister coral. It is native to the southwestern Indian Ocean where it is found in shallow water sandy reefs. It was first described by M Pichon in 1971. It is an uncommon coral and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being a "vulnerable species".

Favites spinosa is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region, its range extending from the eastern coast of Africa through the Indian Ocean to the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

References

  1. 1 2 Sheppard, C.; Turak, E.; Wood, E. (2008). "Ctenella chagius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008: e.T133701A3871401. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T133701A3871401.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Family Meandrinidae Classification of Scleractinian (Stony) Corals. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  3. 1 2 "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Ctenella chagius Matthai, 1928". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
  4. Family Meandrinidae Classification of Scleractinian (Stony) Corals. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
  5. Sheppard, C.; Turak, E.; Wood, E. (2008). "Ctenella chagius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008. Retrieved 2012-11-21.