Acanthastrea, Milne Edwards and Haime, 1848

Salimi, Parisa Alidoost, Mostafavi, Pargol Ghavam, Chen, Chaolun Allen, Fatemi, Seyed Mohammad Reza & Pichon, Michel, 2018, Microphysogobio bicolor, Zoological Studies 57 (56), pp. 1-34 : 22-23

Acanthastrea echinata (Dana, 1846)

( Fig. 20 )

Synonym: Astrea echinata Dana, 1846; Astrea patula Dana, 1846; Acanthastrea spinosa Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848; Acanthastrea hirsuta Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857; Acanthastrea brevis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849; Acanthastrea grandis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849; Favia hirsuta ( Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857); Favites hirsuta ( Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857).

Material examined: Abu-Musa Island ( ZUTC 6616).

Description: Colony is encrusting to massive with fleshy polyps. Corallites arrangement is cerioid and formation by intratentacular (sometimes marginal) budding. Outline circular to subcircular. Corallites diameter variable (average 10-15 mm). 24-31 septa in one order and reaching the columella. They are continuous over the wall extending from one corallite to the adjacent ones. Upper septal margin with 3-5 conspicuous, large dentations with acute tips. Septal sides smooth. Columella is compact, a tangle of twisted trabecular.

Distribution: Common in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Indo-Pacific.

Figures

Fig. 20. (a-b) Acanthastrea echinata from Abu-Musa Island; (c) close-up of corallites; (d) septal margin with 3-5 conspicuous. Scale bar = 1 mm. © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan