Montipora

From RTAW Reefpedia

Taxonavigation Kingdom: Animalia Sub Kingdom: Eumetazoa Super Phylum: Radiata Phylum: Cnidaria Class: Anthozoa Sub Class: Hexacorallia Order: Scleractinia Family: Acroporidae Genus: Montipora Group: Montipora (Group 1) - Montipora (Group 2) - Montipora (Group 3) - Montipora (Group 4) - Montipora (Group 5) - Montipora (Group 6) - Montipora (Group 7) - Montipora (Group 8) - Montipora (Group 9) - Montipora (Group 10) - Montipora (Group 11) - Montipora (Group 12)

Introduction

Characteristics

Classification

The Montipora genus can be split into the following groups based on the structural characteristics of the colonies and corallites^[1]:

• Group 1: laminar species with conspicuously radiating coenosteum ridges.
• Group 2: laminar species without conspicuously coenosteum ridges.
• Group 3: encrusting or massive species with prominent coenosteum tuberculae.
• Group 4: encrusting or massive species with prominent thecal papillae.
• Group 5: encrusting or massive species which do not have exsert papillae.
• Group 6: encrusting species with very small corallites.
• Group 7: species with funnel-shaped (foveolate) corallites.
• Group 8: species with large coenosteum tuberculae forming verrucae.
• Group 9: species forming column-like branches.
• Group 10: species forming fine branches with a smooth coenosteum.
• Group 11: species forming fine branches with coenosteum ridges.
• Group 12: species forming contorted branches without prominent coenosteum ridges.

Gallery

Montipora sp, possibly M. capricornus

M. digitata

Resources

• Super Corals - Superman Montipora by Dana Riddle - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
• A Coral For All Seasons — Montipora by Terry Siegel - Aquarium Frontiers
• Need Help! Coral ID?: Part 1 - Taxonomy of Stony Corals by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping Magazine
• ReefSlides - Encrusting Montipora Medley by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping Magazine
• ReefSlides - Foliose Montipora Species Growth Sequence by Eric Borneman - Reefkeeping Magazine

References