Porites, 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 : 24-25

Porites lobata Dana, 1846

( Fig. 22 )

Synonym: Porites ( Porites ) lobata Dana, 1846; Porites lobata

cf. nodulosa Hoffmeister, 1925; Porites globosa Nemenzo, 1976; Porites excavata Verrill, 1869.

Material examined: Abu-Musa Island ( ZUTC 6621), Sirri Island ( ZUTC 6622).

Other Material: Kish Island ( ZUTC 6623).

Description: Colony thick encrusting to small massive. Surface may near some humps. Corallites round to polygonal. Calice diameter 1.0- 1.5 mm. Septa well developed with complete lateral pairs; dorsal and ventral directives smaller than other septa. Ventral triplet is free (no fusion). Eight weakly developed pali, those of the dorsal directive septum and triplet usually being smaller than those of the lateral pairs. One granule present on the septa between the pali and the wall. Inner synapticular ring present. Columella present well-developed and styliform. Wall mostly thin, ornamented with a row of spicule-like granules on the upper edge.

Remarks: The species differs from P. harrisoni in having encrusting or massive colony forms and eight weakly developed pali. Specimens display different morphotypes, while skeletal examination indicated septal pattern (as main criterion) is remarkably stable ( Fig. 22 c-d). It seems that P. lobata specimens are able to reform their growth strategy in order to persist over the reef framework ( Tortolero-Langarica et al. 2016).

Distribution: Widely distributed throughout the Persian Gulf. Very common in the Indo-Pacific and Pacific Ocean.

Figures

Fig. 22. (a-b) Different colonies of Porites lobata from Sirri and Abu-Musa Islands; (c) close-up of corallites and septal arrangements; (d) ventral triplet free. Scale bar = 1 mm. © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan