taxonID	type	format	identifier	references	title	description	created	creator	contributor	publisher	audience	source	license	rightsHolder	datasetID
C10E319982B059A0B3FF1BEB51595C49.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage	image/png	https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/1469534	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1260.167263.figure2	Figure 2. Holotype of Pavona giannii sp. nov. MNHN - IK- 2012-14233 A. the whole colony in situ at Hyllanyia Island, Bir Ali, Yemen, prior to sampling and B. corallum of the sampled fragment. C. Top view of the corallum showing corallite arrangement and the position of some of the corallite series boundaries (dashed pink lines) marked by the presence of parallel radial elements running over and across them, and D. side view showing its even surface given by equally high and flat top margins of S 1 and S 2 septa, and the deep-seated fossae. Scale bars: 1 cm (B); 5 mm (C, D).	Figure 2. Holotype of Pavona giannii sp. nov. MNHN - IK- 2012-14233 A. the whole colony in situ at Hyllanyia Island, Bir Ali, Yemen, prior to sampling and B. corallum of the sampled fragment. C. Top view of the corallum showing corallite arrangement and the position of some of the corallite series boundaries (dashed pink lines) marked by the presence of parallel radial elements running over and across them, and D. side view showing its even surface given by equally high and flat top margins of S 1 and S 2 septa, and the deep-seated fossae. Scale bars: 1 cm (B); 5 mm (C, D).	2025-11-19	Benzoni, Francesca		Zenodo	biologists	Benzoni, Francesca			
C10E319982B059A0B3FF1BEB51595C49.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage	image/png	https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/1469535	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1260.167263.figure3	Figure 3. Top views of the coralla showing corallite arrangement in the Pavona giannii sp. nov. specimens collected for this study: A. UNIMIB AD 016, from Aden, Yemen; B. UNIMIB MU 128, from Al Mukallah, Yemen; C. UNIMIB BA 066, from Bir Ali, Yemen; D. UNIMIB SO 078, from Socotra Island, Yemen; E. UNIMIB MY 069, from Mayotte Island; F. UF 18088 (collection code OM 226), from Mirbat, Oman; G. UF 18089 (collection code OM 722), from Muscat, Oman; H. Same specimen as in A. Dashed pink lines indicate the position of some of the corallite series boundaries marked by the presence of parallel radial elements running over and across them. Scale bars: 1 cm (A, B); 5 mm (C – H).	Figure 3. Top views of the coralla showing corallite arrangement in the Pavona giannii sp. nov. specimens collected for this study: A. UNIMIB AD 016, from Aden, Yemen; B. UNIMIB MU 128, from Al Mukallah, Yemen; C. UNIMIB BA 066, from Bir Ali, Yemen; D. UNIMIB SO 078, from Socotra Island, Yemen; E. UNIMIB MY 069, from Mayotte Island; F. UF 18088 (collection code OM 226), from Mirbat, Oman; G. UF 18089 (collection code OM 722), from Muscat, Oman; H. Same specimen as in A. Dashed pink lines indicate the position of some of the corallite series boundaries marked by the presence of parallel radial elements running over and across them. Scale bars: 1 cm (A, B); 5 mm (C – H).	2025-11-19	Benzoni, Francesca		Zenodo	biologists	Benzoni, Francesca			
C10E319982B059A0B3FF1BEB51595C49.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage	image/png	https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/1469536	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1260.167263.figure4	Figure 4. Corallum and corallite macro-morphology of the Natural History Museum (UK) specimens originally identified as Pavona explanulata and here re-identified as Pavona giannii sp. nov. from localities 13–15 in Figure 1. A. View of the whole corallum of specimen NHMUK 1981.3. 5.427 from Mahé Island, Seychelles, encrusting a large piece of coral rubble also colonized by other benthic organisms including crustose coralline algae (CCA) and benthic foraminifera; B. Detail of A showing corallite arrangement; C. Top view of specimen NHMUK 83.3.24.4 from Galle, Sri Lanka; D. Detail of the corallum surface of the specimen in C; E. Top view of specimen NHMUK 1979.9. 24.66 from Pulau Songsong, Malaysia, encrusting a block of coral rubble also overgrown by CCA (bottom right); F. Closer view of the same specimen in E. Scale bars: 1 cm (A – E); 5 mm (F).	Figure 4. Corallum and corallite macro-morphology of the Natural History Museum (UK) specimens originally identified as Pavona explanulata and here re-identified as Pavona giannii sp. nov. from localities 13–15 in Figure 1. A. View of the whole corallum of specimen NHMUK 1981.3. 5.427 from Mahé Island, Seychelles, encrusting a large piece of coral rubble also colonized by other benthic organisms including crustose coralline algae (CCA) and benthic foraminifera; B. Detail of A showing corallite arrangement; C. Top view of specimen NHMUK 83.3.24.4 from Galle, Sri Lanka; D. Detail of the corallum surface of the specimen in C; E. Top view of specimen NHMUK 1979.9. 24.66 from Pulau Songsong, Malaysia, encrusting a block of coral rubble also overgrown by CCA (bottom right); F. Closer view of the same specimen in E. Scale bars: 1 cm (A – E); 5 mm (F).	2025-11-19	Benzoni, Francesca		Zenodo	biologists	Benzoni, Francesca			
C10E319982B059A0B3FF1BEB51595C49.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage	image/png	https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/1469537	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1260.167263.figure5	Figure 5. Scanning Electron Microscopy of the skeletal micromorphology of Pavona giannii sp. nov. A. Top view of a well-calcified specimen showing crowded corallite arrangement and thick radial elements masking the underlying skeletal structures. B. Same view in a less calcified specimen showing thinner radial elements connected by visible synapticulae and a corallite series at the top left corner (the position of the series boundary marked by the dashed pink line). C. Side view of B showing the flattened corallum surface and the flush top margins of the S 1–2 radial elements. D. Closeup of one of the corallites of the specimen in A. E. Closeup of the corallites of the specimen in B. F. Side view of the specimen in A showing the flattened and flush top margins of the S 1–2 going from one corallite center to the adjacent ones. G. Top view of a corallite where the three radial elements orders (S 1> S 2> S 3) are indicated by the arrows. H. Side view of a laterally flattened columella sitting deep in a corallite fossa. I. Inner septal margins fusing with the columella. J. Top view of the parallel radial elements running over the synapticular corallite walls, perpendicularly to the series boundary direction (pink dashed line), the thicker S 1–2 are indicated by the transparent yellow arrows and the thinner S 3 by the transparent turquoise arrows. K. Close up of J showing the difference in lateral side ornamentation between the thicker S 1–2 and the thinner S 3. L. Side view of the radial elements in K showing the difference in height between the taller S 1–2 and the shorter S 3. A, F, H, I – L = UNIMIB AD 016; B, C, E, G = UNIMIB BAL 253. Scale bars: 1 mm (A – F); 500 mm (G, H, J); 200 mm (I, K, L).	Figure 5. Scanning Electron Microscopy of the skeletal micromorphology of Pavona giannii sp. nov. A. Top view of a well-calcified specimen showing crowded corallite arrangement and thick radial elements masking the underlying skeletal structures. B. Same view in a less calcified specimen showing thinner radial elements connected by visible synapticulae and a corallite series at the top left corner (the position of the series boundary marked by the dashed pink line). C. Side view of B showing the flattened corallum surface and the flush top margins of the S 1–2 radial elements. D. Closeup of one of the corallites of the specimen in A. E. Closeup of the corallites of the specimen in B. F. Side view of the specimen in A showing the flattened and flush top margins of the S 1–2 going from one corallite center to the adjacent ones. G. Top view of a corallite where the three radial elements orders (S 1> S 2> S 3) are indicated by the arrows. H. Side view of a laterally flattened columella sitting deep in a corallite fossa. I. Inner septal margins fusing with the columella. J. Top view of the parallel radial elements running over the synapticular corallite walls, perpendicularly to the series boundary direction (pink dashed line), the thicker S 1–2 are indicated by the transparent yellow arrows and the thinner S 3 by the transparent turquoise arrows. K. Close up of J showing the difference in lateral side ornamentation between the thicker S 1–2 and the thinner S 3. L. Side view of the radial elements in K showing the difference in height between the taller S 1–2 and the shorter S 3. A, F, H, I – L = UNIMIB AD 016; B, C, E, G = UNIMIB BAL 253. Scale bars: 1 mm (A – F); 500 mm (G, H, J); 200 mm (I, K, L).	2025-11-19	Benzoni, Francesca		Zenodo	biologists	Benzoni, Francesca			
C10E319982B059A0B3FF1BEB51595C49.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage	image/png	https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/1469538	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1260.167263.figure6	Figure 6. Pavona giannii sp. nov. in situ. A. Typically white extended tentacles in the colony, from which specimen UNIMIB BAL 252 was collected, encrusting a submassive Porites (living portion at the top right-hand side) at Balhaf, Yemen; B. Colony of UF 17957, Mirbat, Oman; C. Fully extended white tentacles covering the whole surface of the colony of UNIMIB SO 078 at Socotra Island, Yemen; D. Colony with partially retracted tentacles allowing the polyps’ white oral disks to show, Mahé Island, Seychelles; E. Colony of UNIMIB MY 069 at Mayotte Island; F. Colony with white tentacles and grey oral disks Balhaf, Yemen; G. Close-up of the polyps of colony UNIMIB BU 049 with beige tentacles and white oral disks at Burum, Yemen.	Figure 6. Pavona giannii sp. nov. in situ. A. Typically white extended tentacles in the colony, from which specimen UNIMIB BAL 252 was collected, encrusting a submassive Porites (living portion at the top right-hand side) at Balhaf, Yemen; B. Colony of UF 17957, Mirbat, Oman; C. Fully extended white tentacles covering the whole surface of the colony of UNIMIB SO 078 at Socotra Island, Yemen; D. Colony with partially retracted tentacles allowing the polyps’ white oral disks to show, Mahé Island, Seychelles; E. Colony of UNIMIB MY 069 at Mayotte Island; F. Colony with white tentacles and grey oral disks Balhaf, Yemen; G. Close-up of the polyps of colony UNIMIB BU 049 with beige tentacles and white oral disks at Burum, Yemen.	2025-11-19	Benzoni, Francesca		Zenodo	biologists	Benzoni, Francesca			
C10E319982B059A0B3FF1BEB51595C49.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage	image/png	https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/1469539	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1260.167263.figure7	Figure 7. Pavona giannii sp. nov. and congeners side-by-side in situ allowing a direct comparison of the polyp macro-morphology and coloration. A. P. giannii sp. nov., Pavona decussata and Pavona varians at Bir Ali, Yemen; . B. Detail of A showing a margin of the P. giannii sp. nov. colony, devoid of ridges and with the typical white tentacles, actively growing over the P. varians one with well-developed ridges and shorter brown tentacles; C. Margin of a P. giannii sp. nov. with crowded polyps, light brown tentacles and white oral disks, a less commonly observed color variant, being overgrown by Pavona explanulata with extended brown tentacles and well-distanced polyps. Dashed polygon in A shows the portion of the image shown in B.	Figure 7. Pavona giannii sp. nov. and congeners side-by-side in situ allowing a direct comparison of the polyp macro-morphology and coloration. A. P. giannii sp. nov., Pavona decussata and Pavona varians at Bir Ali, Yemen; . B. Detail of A showing a margin of the P. giannii sp. nov. colony, devoid of ridges and with the typical white tentacles, actively growing over the P. varians one with well-developed ridges and shorter brown tentacles; C. Margin of a P. giannii sp. nov. with crowded polyps, light brown tentacles and white oral disks, a less commonly observed color variant, being overgrown by Pavona explanulata with extended brown tentacles and well-distanced polyps. Dashed polygon in A shows the portion of the image shown in B.	2025-11-19	Benzoni, Francesca		Zenodo	biologists	Benzoni, Francesca			
C10E319982B059A0B3FF1BEB51595C49.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage	image/png	https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/1469533	https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1260.167263.figure1	Figure 1. Map showing the type (star) and other collection (circle) localities of Pavona giannii sp. nov. A. Collection localities in the SW Indian Ocean, and B. The seas around the Arabian Peninsula. 1 = Maskali Island, Djibouti; 2 = Aden, Yemen; 3 = Balhaf, Yemen; 4 = Hyllanyia Island, Bir Ali, Yemen; 5 = Burum, Yemen; 6 = Al Mukallah, Yemen; 7 = Hawlaf, Socotra Island, Yemen; 8 = Dhalkut, Oman; 9 = Mirbat, Oman; 10 = Qinqari Bay, Oman; 11 = Muscat, Oman; 12 = Mayotte Island; 13 = Mahé Island, Seychelles; 14 = Galle, Sri Lanka; 15 = Pulau Songsong, Malaysia. Scale bar: 200 km.	Figure 1. Map showing the type (star) and other collection (circle) localities of Pavona giannii sp. nov. A. Collection localities in the SW Indian Ocean, and B. The seas around the Arabian Peninsula. 1 = Maskali Island, Djibouti; 2 = Aden, Yemen; 3 = Balhaf, Yemen; 4 = Hyllanyia Island, Bir Ali, Yemen; 5 = Burum, Yemen; 6 = Al Mukallah, Yemen; 7 = Hawlaf, Socotra Island, Yemen; 8 = Dhalkut, Oman; 9 = Mirbat, Oman; 10 = Qinqari Bay, Oman; 11 = Muscat, Oman; 12 = Mayotte Island; 13 = Mahé Island, Seychelles; 14 = Galle, Sri Lanka; 15 = Pulau Songsong, Malaysia. Scale bar: 200 km.	2025-11-19	Benzoni, Francesca		Zenodo	biologists	Benzoni, Francesca			
