Open brain coral

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Open brain coral
Open Brain Coral Green.jpg
Green open brain coral
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Merulinidae
Genus: Trachyphyllia
Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849
Species:
T. geoffroyi
Binomial name
Trachyphyllia geoffroyi
Audouin, 1826 [2]
Synonyms
List

(Genus)

  • AntillophylliaVaughan, 1932
  • CallogyraVerrill, 1901
  • WellsophylliaPichon, 1980

(Species)

  • Antillia duncaniYabe & Sugiyama, 1931
  • Antillia flabelliformisYabe & Sugiyama, 1931
  • Antillia geoffroyi(Audouin, 1826)
  • Antillia infundibuliformisGerth, 1921 †
  • Antillia orientalisGerth, 1921 †
  • Callogyra formosaVerrill, 1901
  • Manicina amarantumDana, 1846
  • Trachyphyllia amarantum(Dana, 1846)
  • Trachyphyllia amarantus(Müller, 1775)
  • Trachyphyllia lelandiNemenzo, 1971
  • Trachyphyllia radiata(Pichon, 1980)
  • Turbinolia geoffroyiAudouin, 1826
  • Wellsophyllia radiataPichon, 1980

The open brain coral (Trachyphyllia geoffroyi) is a brightly colored free-living coral species in the family Merulinidae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Trachyphyllia and can be found throughout the Indo-Pacific.

Contents

Description

Open brain corals can be solitary or colonial. [3] They are small corals, rarely reaching over 20 cm in diameter. [1] They are free-living and exhibit a flabello-meandroid growth form, meaning they have distinct valley regions separated by walls. [4] [5] In colonial forms, the valley regions can contain multiple individual polyps. [5] Complexity of valley regions can range; some are hourglass shaped while other cans be highly lobed. [3] They typically have bilateral symmetry. [4] During the day when the polyp is closed, the coral is covered by a mantle that extends beyond the skeleton, but can retract when disturbed. [4] [5] Polyps and mantle are very fleshy. [4] Colonies can be blue, green, yellow, brown, and are often vibrantly colored. [4] [5]

The open brain coral is known to host a species of gall crab, Lithoscaptussemperi. [6]

Distribution and habitat

A red variety of Trachyphyllia in a reef aquarium Trachyphyllia 2.jpg
A red variety of Trachyphyllia in a reef aquarium

Open brain corals can be found throughout the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to New Caledonia. They are found up to a maximum depth of 40 meters. [1]

Open brain corals are less common directly in coral reef communities, and are more often found on sandy reef slopes, around continental islands, and lagoons. [3] [5] [1] Open brain corals can often be found near other free-living corals. [1] [7] Large colonies of open brain corals are uncommon, and are typically only observed in marine protected areas. [1]

Threats

The IUCN lists open brain corals as "near threatened" due to habitat loss and over-harvesting for the aquarium trade. [1] The biggest exporter of open brain coral is Indonesia. In 2005, Indonesia exported over 60,000 open brain corals for use in the aquarium trade. [1]

Other threats to open brain corals include disease, acidification, and severe storms. [1]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Fungia</i> Genus of corals

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<i>Galaxea fascicularis</i> Species of coral

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

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<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>Pavona cactus</i> Species of coral

Pavona cactus, the cactus coral, potato chip coral or leaf coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Agariciidae. This coral is found in shallow waters on reefs and in lagoons in tropical parts of the Indo-Pacific region.

<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>Diploastrea heliopora</i> Species of coral

Diploastrea heliopora, commonly known as diploastrea brain coral or honeycomb coral among other vernacular names, is a species of hard coral in the family Diploastreidae. It is the only extant species in its genus. This species can form massive dome-shaped colonies of great size.

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

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".

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

Platygyra daedalea, sometimes known as the lesser valley coral, is a colonial species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae. It occurs on reefs in shallow water in the 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>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>Heliofungia actiniformis</i> Species of coral

Heliofungia actiniformis is a solitary species of mushroom coral, a large polyp stony coral in the family Fungiidae. This coral is found in shallow water in the Indo-Pacific region. It is a zooxanthellate species. It is a popular coral in the reef aquarium trade; wild populations are threatened by disease, climate change, and over-collecting, and the species is considered vulnerable by the IUCN.

<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>Heterocyathus aequicostatus</i> Species of coral

Heterocyathus aequicostatus is a small species of coral in the family Caryophylliidae in the order Scleractinia, the stony corals. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. It is a large polyp, solitary, free-living coral and is usually found on soft substrates.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Sheppard, C.; Turak, E.; Wood, E. (2008). "Trachyphyllia geoffroyi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008: e.T133260A3659374. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T133260A3659374.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Trachyphyllia geoffroyi". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Best, M.B. & Hoeksema, B.W. (1987). "New observations on scleractinian corals from Indonesia: 1. Free-living species belonging to the Faviina". Zoologische Mededelingen. 61 (27): 1–11.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Trachyphyllia geoffroyi (Audouin, 1826)". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Corals of the World". www.coralsoftheworld.org. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  6. ↑ van der Meij, Sancia E.T. (2015-04-27). "A new gall crab species (Brachyura, Cryptochiridae) associated with the free-living coral Trachyphyllia geoffroyi (Scleractinia, Merulinidae)". ZooKeys (500): 61–72. Bibcode:2015ZooK..500...61V. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.500.9244 . ISSN   1313-2970. PMC   4432240 . PMID   25987871.
  7. ↑ Veron, J.E.N. (1986). Corals of Australia and the Indo-Pacific. London: Angus & Robertson Publishers. p. 538.
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