Acropora, Oken, 1815

Sola, Erwan, Silva, Isabel Marques da & Glassom, David, 2015, An annotated and illustrated checklist of species of the coral genus Acropora (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) from Vamizi Island, Mozambique, African Invertebrates 56 (3), pp. 807-807 : 830-831

Acropora loripes (Brook, 1892)

Fig. 20

Colony growth form: Caespito-corymbose; frequently anastomosed branching pattern; colonies form small bushes or cushions.

Axial corallites: Outer diameter 1.3–1.9 mm; inner diameter 0.8–1.0 mm; tubular with round opening; long incipient axial corallites are frequent and occur anywhere on branch; axials may bear small number of, or be devoid of, radial corallites on one side; one cycle of septa is present

Radial corallites: Well spaced; similar in size; tubular appressed with oval opening or slightly nariform; septation of distally radial corallites are poorly developed or absent; lower on branch, radials may have some to all primary septa present and directive may be prominent.

Coenosteum: Dense arrangement of elaborated spinules on and between corallites.

Remarks: A diagnostic character used to define this species was the common occurrence of long axial corallites devoid of radial corallites one side. In addition, the openings of radial corallites were more elongate almost nariform and the spinules more elaborated than for A. granulosa and A. willisae Veron & Wallace, 1984 .

Figures

Fig. 20. Acropora loripes. Specimen number:VAM80. (A) live colony; (B, C) branch fragment with radial corallites; (D) axial corallite; (E) coenosteum between corallites.