Acropora eibli Pillai & Scheer, 1976

Wallace, Carden C., Done, Barbara J. & Muir, Paul R., 2012, Revision and catalogue of worldwide staghorn corals Acropora and Isopora (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) in the Museum of Tropical Queensland, Memoirs of the Queensland Museu Nature 57, pp. 1-258 : 62

Acropora eibli Pillai & Scheer, 1976

( Fig. 29 )

Acropora eibli Pillai & Scheer, 1976: 33 , pl. 10.

Type locality. Rasdu Atoll, Maldives (holotype HSMD). MTQ Holdings. Maldives: G60011–14 topotypes from Rasdoo Atoll, Maldives.

Species group: not determined.

Description. Colony outline: determinate, predominantly plate. Branches: tertiary branching order absent; length: 25–50 mm; diameter: 5.0–9.9 mm, 50/50 axial/radial, tapering; radial crowding: not touching; axial/radial ratio:>1:10. Axial corallites: three synapticular rings;

not porous; outer diameter 1.4–1.6 mm; inner diameter 0.6–0.7 mm; primary septa to ½ R. Radial corallites: medium; three synapticular rings; one size or graded; inner wall developed; shape: nariform; openings: round to oval; primary septa to ¾ R. Coenosteum: same on and between radials: reticulate, spinule shape: forked.

Taxonomic note. This species is taken out of the synonymy of A. tenella, following examination of topotypic specimens.

Figures

FIG. 29. Acropora eibli, G60012, Ari Atoll, Maldives, 2006 (photo: P. Muir). Map of documented distribution: blue square = MTQ specimen; orange diamond = type locality.