Micromussa lordhowensis | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Cnidaria |
Class: | Hexacorallia |
Order: | Scleractinia |
Family: | Lobophylliidae |
Genus: | Micromussa |
Species: | M. lordhowensis |
Binomial name | |
Micromussa lordhowensis (Veron & Pichon, 1982) | |
Synonyms | |
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Micromussa lordhowensis, previously known as the Acan Lord, is a species of stony coral in the family Lobophylliidae. It is a widespread and common [2] 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. [3]
Micromussa lordhowensis is a colonial coral forming low clumps that can be two metres (yards) across. The corallites are large, up to 15 mm (0.6 in) in diameter, with walls composed of closely packed septa with fine teeth. The columella is well-developed. The colour varies widely and is often formed of two contrasting shades of red, orange, purple, blue or green. [4]
Micromussa lordhowensis was studied for the first time from a phylogenetic perspective and transferred to Micromussa as it was found to be unrelated to the genus type, A. echinata, but closely related to the other species in Micromussa. Furthermore, morphological analyses confirmed that Micromussa lordhowensis displays the septal size, shape, and granulation typical of all Micromussa species rather than the smoother septal sides ornamentation of Acanthastrea. [3]
Micromussa lordhowensis occurs in the western Indo-Pacific on reefs at depths down to about 30 metres (98 ft). Its range extends from the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aquaba and the eastern coast of Africa to the East China Sea, Japan and Australia. [1] It takes its specific name from Lord Howe Island, the most southerly coral reef in the Pacific. There it is found among about 83 recorded species of stony coral which include many tropical species at the southern limits of their range, along with subtropical species not found on the nearby Great Barrier Reef. [5]
Micromussa lordhowensis is a hermaphrodite and a broadcast spawner. The larvae form part of the plankton and drift with the ocean currents, eventually settling on the seabed. In an experiment designed to find out how long the larvae could survive, Micromussa lordhowensis larvae were reared in an aquarium. It was found that the larvae could remain alive in the water after they were fully developed for up to a further 78 days before settling. In the ocean, this allows the larvae to disperse widely and have greater chances of finding optimum sites for settling. [6]
The polyps of Micromussa lordhowensis are large and fleshy. When the tentacles are extended, they search for zooplankton and small invertebrates which are transferred to the mouth when caught. Another source of energy is the symbiotic dinoflagellates, microscopic algae that live within the coral's tissues and which produce nutrients by photosynthesis. The coral is able to benefit from the carbohydrates produced by the algae and the algae for their part make use of the coral's nitrogenous waste products. [7] Micromussa lordhowensis is an aggressive species of coral and defends itself against the possibility of being overshadowed. At night some polyps extend long filaments which secrete enzymes which digest the cells of other organisms with which they come in contact. [4]
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists certain subspecies of coral as being "Near Threatened". In the main however it is a common species that is widely distributed and seems to be more resilient than some other species. Recent studies of the population size have been done documenting huge colonies of this coral species in most coral growing regions of the world. Many colorful species of this coral are popular in the aquarium trade for its colorful exemplars and hardiness. The coral grows and propagates rapidly in captive reef environments and thrives under lighting and flow conditions that other Mussidae would not survive. It is best known recently as a "trend coral" that commands high prices in the reef trade that are not related to its rarity, population or accessibility. In the wild, the chief threat it is likely to face is from predation by coral eating organisms such as parrot fish and starfish and the degradation of its reef habitat. It may disappear entirely from some degraded reefs and, along with other coral species, is likely to be adversely affected by ocean acidification and climate change. [1]
|} Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.
Anthozoa is a class of marine invertebrates which includes the sea anemones, stony corals and soft corals. Adult anthozoans are almost all attached to the seabed, while their larvae can disperse as part of the plankton. The basic unit of the adult is the polyp; this consists of a cylindrical column topped by a disc with a central mouth surrounded by tentacles. Sea anemones are mostly solitary, but the majority of corals are colonial, being formed by the budding of new polyps from an original, founding individual. Colonies are strengthened by calcium carbonate and other materials and take various massive, plate-like, bushy or leafy forms.
Scleractinia, also called stony corals or hard corals, are marine animals in the phylum Cnidaria that build themselves a hard skeleton. The individual animals are known as polyps and have a cylindrical body crowned by an oral disc in which a mouth is fringed with tentacles. Although some species are solitary, most are colonial. The founding polyp settles and starts to secrete calcium carbonate to protect its soft body. Solitary corals can be as much as 25 cm (10 in) across but in colonial species the polyps are usually only a few millimetres in diameter. These polyps reproduce asexually by budding, but remain attached to each other, forming a multi-polyp colony of clones with a common skeleton, which may be up to several metres in diameter or height according to species.
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.
Acanthastrea echinata, commonly known as the starry cup coral, is a species of corals in the family Lobophylliidae. It is a wide-ranging species found from the western Indian Ocean, throughout the Pacific Ocean, and eastward to the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. It can inhabit any reef habitat to depths of 50 m. This species, which may become threatened with the global decline of coral reefs, is a popular coral used in aquariums.
Tubastraea, also known as sun coral or sun polyps, is a genus of coral in the phylum Cnidaria. It is a cup coral in the family Dendrophylliidae.
Pocillopora is a genus of stony corals in the family Pocilloporidae occurring in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are commonly called cauliflower corals and brush corals.
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.
Scolymia, commonly called scoly coral, is a genus of large-polyp stony corals (Scleractinia). These animals are believed date back to the Miocene with three extant species present in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
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. They are found in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea. It forms solid, smooth hemispherical domes and is found in the Indian Ocean in the vicinity of the Chagos Archipelago.
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.
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.
Micromussa regularis is a species of coral found in Indo-Pacific waters from Australia to the western Pacific Ocean. It is usually uncommon throughout its range, but can be more common locally. It has a narrow depth range, and so is susceptible to coral bleaching and disease. It is also threatened by the global decline in coral reef habitats.
Lobophylliidae is a family of large polyp stony corals. The family was created in 2009 after a revision of the "robust" families of Faviidae, Merulinidae, Mussidae and Pectiniidae, which had been shown to be polyphyletic. The family Lobophylliidae was formed out of the Indo-Pacific species that had traditionally been included in Mussidae, and some of the species which had previously formed Pectiniidae, the remaining species from Pectiniidae having been merged into Merulinidae. The type genus is Lobophyllia.
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".
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".
Euphylliidae are known as a family of polyped stony corals under the order Scleractinia.
Pavona maldivensis is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Agariciidae. It is found on shallow reef slopes, particularly those with strong wave action, and on vertical surfaces, in tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Oxypora glabra is a species of large polyp stony coral in the family Lobophylliidae. It is a colonial coral with thin encrusting laminae. It is native to the central Indo-Pacific.