Favites, Link, 1807

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 : 15-16

Favites chinensis ( Verrill, 1866)

( Fig. 15 )

Synonym: Prionastraea chinenis Verrill, 1866; Favites yamanarii Yabe & Sugiyama, 1935.

Material examined: Abu-Musa Island ( ZUTC 6605).

D e s c r i p t i o n: C o l o n y i s e n c r u s t i n g a n d i r r e g u l a r, w i t h a f e w h u m p s a f e w c m h i g h above the general surface of the corallum. Corallites arrangement is cerioid and formation by intratentacular budding. Outline subcircular to polygonal. Calice diameter is 5-8 mm. Some corallites are raised and have a nodular form. Up to 40 septa regularly spaced in two orders. First order reaching the columella. Second order reduced and limited to wall. Septal margin dentation well developed, size of the dentations increasing near the calice center. Septa of adjacent corallites are continuous above the common walls. Paliform lobes are absent or inconspicuous. Columella is spongy. Theca is angular, particularly in the corallites present on the nodules or humps of the corallum. The structure and appearance of the thecae often vary greatly from one part of the corallum to another. They are usually thin and irregular on hillocky parts and broad on flat parts where calices are shallow.

Remarks: In the present study, the specimens have slightly larger corallites than those found outside the Persian Gulf. This species may be confused with F. abdita or F. pentagona in the field. However, the wall of F. chinensis is thinner than F. pentagona and the corallite is fairly angled ( Sheppard and Sheppard 1991).

Distribution: Rare in the Persian Gulf and Indo-Pacific.

Figures

Fig. 15. (a-b) Favites chinensis from Abu-Musa Island; (c-d) close-up of corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm.