Porites compressa

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Porites compressa
Auliflower coral (Pocillopora meandrina), lobe coral (Porites lobata), and finger coral (Porites compressa) (5762963067).jpg
Left-to-right: Pocillopora meandrina , Porites lobata , Porites compressa
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Poritidae
Genus: Porites
Species:
P. compressa
Binomial name
Porites compressa
Dana, 1846

Porites compressa, also known as Finger coral or Hump coral, is a species of marine stony coral in the family Poritidae. [2] It is found growing on coral reefs and in shallow lagoons in tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Description

Porites compressa is generally pale brown or grey. In shallow water it resembles a knobbly boulder but in deeper water it is more columnar. The branches are cylindrical and often fuse together. [3] [4] The growth rate is slow but it often grows into large colonies which may be up to 1000 years old. [5] It is a zooxanthellate coral, having symbiotic unicellular zooxanthellae in the tissues which provide it with energy. [2]

Distribution and habitat

Porites compressa occurs in the Indo-Pacific region, the Red Sea and East African coast. [2] Around Hawaii it is common and is found on reefs and in lagoons to a depth of 30 metres (98 ft) where the water is relatively undisturbed. In Kaneohe Bay it is the dominant coral species and sometimes forms monospecific stands. [1]

Threats

Porites compressa is affected by rising sea temperatures but it is more resistant to bleaching than many other corals. It is more susceptible to coral diseases than some other species however and it is stressed corals that are most likely to succumb to disease. Coral reefs in general are under threat from many causes. These include El Nino events, ocean acidification, trawling and other fishery activities, competition from invasive species and human activities which includes pollution and the collection of corals for the aquarium trade. [1]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Porites lobata</i> Species of coral

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

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<i>Porites porites</i> Species of coral

Porites porites, commonly known as hump coral or finger coral, is a species of stony coral in the genus Porites. It is found in the Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean and also along the coast of West Africa.

<i>Porites furcata</i> Species of coral

Porites furcata, commonly known as hump coral, thin finger coral or branched finger coral, is a species of stony coral in the genus Porites. It is found in the Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean.

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

Acropora cytherea is a stony coral which forms horizontal table like structures. It occurs in the Indo-Pacific Ocean in areas with little wave action, favouring back reef environments from 3 to 20 m depth.

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

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

Acropora aspera is a species of staghorn coral in the family Acroporidae. It is found on reef flats and in lagoons in very shallow water in the western Indo-Pacific Ocean.

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

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

Acropora millepora is a species of branching stony coral native to the western Indo-Pacific where it is found in shallow water from the east coast of Africa to the coasts of Japan and Australia. It was first described in 1834 by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg as Heteropora millepora.

<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>Turbinaria</i> (coral) Genus of corals

Turbinaria is a genus of colonial stony corals in the family Dendrophylliidae. Common names for this genus include disc coral, scroll coral, cup coral, vase coral, pagoda coral and ruffled ridge coral. These corals are native to the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Japan and the south Central Pacific Ocean.

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

Turbinaria frondens, commonly known as disc coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Dendrophylliidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. It is a zooxanthellate coral that houses symbiont dinoflagellates in its tissues.

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

Turbinaria patula, commonly known as disc coral, is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Dendrophylliidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region, being found in the eastern Indian Ocean, northern Australia, the South China Sea and the western Pacific Ocean. It is a zooxanthellate coral that houses symbiont dinoflagellates in its tissues. It is an uncommon species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has rated it as a "vulnerable" species.

<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>Porites cylindrica</i> Species of coral

Porites cylindrica, commonly known as Hump coral, is a stony coral belonging to the subclass Hexacorallia in the class Anthozoa. Hexacorallia differ from other subclasses in that they have 6 or fewer axes of symmetry. Members of this class possess colonial polyps which can be reef-building, secreting a calcium carbonate skeleton. They are dominant in both inshore reefs and midshelf reefs.

<i>Porites branneri</i> Species of coral

Porites branneri, known by the common name blue crust coral, is a species of stony coral in the family Poritidae. It is found growing on reefs in the Caribbean Sea and the northern and eastern coasts of South America.

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>Porites lutea</i> Species of coral

Porites lutea is a species of stony coral in the family Poritidae. It is found growing in very shallow water on reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. It sometimes forms "microatolls" in the intertidal zone and these massive structures have been used to study trends in sea levels and sea water temperature.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sheppard, A.; Fenner, D.; Edwards, A.; Abrar, M.; Ochavillo, D. (2008). "Porites compressa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008: e.T133349A3701925. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T133349A3701925.en . Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 WoRMS (2010). "Porites compressa; Dana". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 2011-12-23.
  3. Porites compressa Dana 1846 WetWebMedia.com. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
  4. Porites compressa Dana 1846 Corals of the World. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
  5. Stony coral (Porites compressa) Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine ARKive. Retrieved 2011-12-23.