Montipora

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Montipora
Montipora aequituberculata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hexacorallia
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Acroporidae
Genus: Montipora
Blainville, 1830[1][2]
Synonyms[1]
  • Manopora Dana, 1846

Montipora is a genus of Scleractinian corals in the phylum Cnidaria. Members of the genus Montipora may exhibit many different growth morphologies. With eighty five known species,[1] Montipora is the second most species rich coral genus after Acropora.[3]

Description

Near Magnetic Island

Growth morphologies for the genus Montipora include submassive, laminar, foliaceous, encrusting, and branching.[4][5] It is not uncommon for a single Montipora colony to display more than one growth morphology.[5] Healthy Montipora corals can be a variety of colors, including orange, brown, pink, green, blue, purple, yellow, grey, or tan.[5] Although they are typically uniform in color, some species, such as Montipora spumosa or Montipora verrucosa, may display a mottled appearance.[5]

Montipora corals have the smallest corallites of any coral family.[5] Columellae are not present.[5] Coenosteum and corallite walls are porous, which can result in elaborate structures.[5] The coenosteum of each Montipora species is different, making it useful for identification.[5] Polyps are typically only extended at night.[5]

Montipora corals are commonly mistaken for members of the genus Porites based on their visual similarities, however, Porites can be distinguished from Montipora by examining the structure of the corallites.[5]

Distribution

Montipora corals are common on reefs and lagoons of the Red Sea, the western Indian Ocean and the southern Pacific Ocean, but are entirely absent in the Atlantic Ocean.[4]

Ecology

Montipora corals are hermaphroditic broadcast spawners.[6] Spawning typically happens in spring.[6] The eggs of Montipora corals already contain zooxanthellae, so none is obtained from the environment.[6][7] This process is known as direct or vertical transmission.[3]

Montipora corals are preyed upon by corallivorous fish, such as butterflyfish.[8] Montipora corals are known to host endo- and ectoparasites such as Allopodion mirum and Xarifia extensa.[1] A currently undescribed species of nudibranch in the genus Phestilla has also been reported in the scientific and aquarium hobbyist literature to feed on the genus.[9]

Montipora corals are susceptible to the same stresses as other Scleractinian corals, such as anthropogenic pollution, sediment, algal growth, and other competitive organisms.[6]

Evolutionary history

A 2007 study found that the genus Montipora formed a strongly supported clade with Anacropora, making it the genus with the closest genetic relationship to Montipora.[10] It is thought that Anacropora evolved from Montipora relatively recently.[7]

Gallery

  • Montipora capricornis
    Montipora capricornis
  • Polyps of Montipora aequituberculata
    Polyps of Montipora aequituberculata
  • Montipora aequituberculata colonies near Ningaloo Reef
    Montipora aequituberculata colonies near Ningaloo Reef
  • Montipora caliculata
    Montipora caliculata
  • Branching colony of Montipora capitata in Hawaii
    Branching colony of Montipora capitata in Hawaii
  • Encrusting colony of Montipora capitata
    Encrusting colony of Montipora capitata
  • Polyps of Montipora danae
    Polyps of Montipora danae
  • Montipora ehrenbergii
    Montipora ehrenbergii
  • Montipora grisea
    Montipora grisea
  • Montipora hispida
    Montipora hispida
  • Polyps of Montipora hispida
    Polyps of Montipora hispida
  • Polyps of Montipora monasteriata
    Polyps of Montipora monasteriata
  • Montipora nodosa
    Montipora nodosa
  • Montipora tuberculosa
    Montipora tuberculosa
  • Montipora verrucosa at Birch Aquarium in San Diego, CA
    Montipora verrucosa at Birch Aquarium in San Diego, CA

Species

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Montipora.
Wikispecies has information related to Montipora.
  1. ^ a b c d World Register of Marine Species link: Montipora Blainville, 1830 (+species list)
  2. ^ "Montipora". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  3. ^
    S2CID 86657478
    .
  4. ^
    S2CID 85602339
    .
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Veron, J.E.N (1986). Corals of Australia and the Indo-Pacific. London: Angus & Robertson Publishers. pp. 92–121.
  6. ^ a b c d Richmond, Robert (1997). Reproduction and Recruitment in Corals. pp. 175–197.
  7. ^
    PMID 18517306
    .
  8. S2CID 34270212
    .
  9. ^ Fritts-Penniman, Allison Louise (2016). "Ecological Speciation and Cryptic Diversity of Coral-Associated Nudibranchs". UCLA. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  10. S2CID 25263905
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Montipora&oldid=1192122321"