Goniophyllum is an Silurian genus of rugose coral known from Sweden, Norway, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. [1] It is easily identified by its "lids" and distinct square shape. The genus was described by Milne-Edwards et Haime in 1851. [2]
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| The species Goniophyllum pyramidale. | |
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| Genus: | †Goniophyllum Milne-Edwards et Haime, 1851 |
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The coralite is simple and square shaped. Growth segments are clearly visible. The calyx is deep with weak septa, but some are thicker and more distinguished than others. Four "lids" called opercula create a pyramid over the calyx that could be opened in life. These lids are triangular with distinct lingual and labial ornamentation. Muscle scars and a stolon tube is found on the inside of each operculum. One of the lids is slightly larger than the others and it's the only one that is pressant in related genera such as Rhizophyllum. The corals internal Tabulae is very well developed much like other members of Cystiphyllida. [3]
Brain coral is a common name given to various corals in the families Mussidae and Merulinidae, so called due to their generally spheroid shape and grooved surface which resembles a brain. Each head of coral is formed by a colony of genetically identical polyps which secrete a hard skeleton of calcium carbonate; this makes them important coral reef builders like other stony corals in the order Scleractinia. Brain corals are found in shallow warm water coral reefs in all the world's oceans. They are part of the phylum Cnidaria, in a class called Anthozoa or "flower animals". The lifespan of the largest brain corals is 900 years. Colonies can grow as large as 1.8 m (6 ft) or more in height.
Mussidae is a family of stony coral in the order Scleractinia. Following a taxonomic revision in 2012, the family is now restricted to species found in the Atlantic Ocean, with Pacific species transferred to the new family Lobophylliidae. Many species are referred to as brain coral because their generally spheroid form and grooved surface resembles the convolutions of a brain.
Corallimorpharia is an order of marine cnidarians closely related to stony or reef building corals (Scleractinia). They occur in both temperate and tropical climates, although they are mostly tropical. Temperate forms tend to be very robust, with wide and long columns, whereas tropical forms tend to have very short columns with a wide oral disc and very short tentacles. The tentacles are usually arranged in rows radiating from the mouth. Many species occur together in large groups, although there are recorded instances of individuals. In many respects, they resemble the stony corals, except for the absence of a stony skeleton. Morphological and molecular evidence suggests that they are very closely related to stony corals.
Rhodactis is genus of "mushroom corals", which are characterized by large individual polyps that are often reminiscent of a mushroom. Rhodactis are related to stony corals but do not produce a stony skeleton.
Lithostrotion is a genus of rugose coral which is commonly found as a fossil within Carboniferous Limestone. Lithostrotion is a member of the family Lithostrotionidae. The genus Lithostrotion, a common and readily recognised group of fossils, became extinct by the end of the Palaeozoic era.
Lobophyllia, commonly called lobed brain coral or lobo coral, is a genus of large polyp stony corals. Members of this genus are sometimes found in reef aquariums.
Isastrea is an extinct genus of corals that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Its fossils have been found in Europe, Africa, North America, Asia and South America.
Balanophyllia is a genus of solitary corals in the order of stony corals.
Meandrina is a genus of colonial stony coral in the family Meandrinidae. Corals in this genus form massive hemispherical heads or have large flat plates and can grow to a metre (yard) across. Sometimes it is referred to as.
Rhizangiidae is a family of stony corals in the order Scleractinia. This family is closely related to Oculinidae. Members of this family are non-reef building corals and reproduce from stolons. The corallites are small and the septa are simple.
Merulinidae is a family of reef-building stony corals.
Dendrophyllia is a genus of stony cup corals in the family Dendrophylliidae. Members of this genus are found at depths down to about 900 metres (3,000 ft). They are azooxanthellate corals, meaning that they do not contain symbiotic photosynthetic dinoflagellates as do many species of coral.
Mycetophyllia is a genus of stony corals in the family Mussidae, commonly known as ridged cactus corals. Members of this genus are native to the Caribbean area. They are zooxanthellate species and are sometimes kept in reef aquaria.
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.
Montlivaltiidae is an extinct family of stony corals.
Flabellum is a genus of marine corals belonging to the family Flabellidae. These are a diverse group of azooxanthellate corals with about 190 species, 47 of which are extant. They are exclusively solitary corals and many are deep water species.
Leptastrea is a genus of massive reef building stony corals known primarily from the Indo-Pacific. Although previously assigned to Faviidae, Budd et al. (2012) assigned it to Scleractinia incertae sedis based on phylogenetic results demonstrating the polyphyly of Faviidae.
Goniopora stokesi is a species of colonial stony coral. As with other species in genus Goniopora, it has the common names 'flowerpot coral' and 'daisy coral'. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorises its status as near threatened.
Psammocora is a genus of stony coral in the monotypic family Psammocoridae. Species of this genus are also known as cat's paw coral.
Heterocyathus is a genus of coral of the family Caryophylliidae.
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