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Hedgehog Coral

Echinopora fruticulosa Klunzinger 1879

Echinopora fruticulosa

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Echinopora fruticulosa is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae.[1]

Description

Colonies of Echinopora fruticulosa form dome-shaped clumps reaching a maximum diameter of 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) and height of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in). It is an entirely ramose species, with single tubular corallites of about 5–8 millimetres (0.20–0.31 in) in diameter, developed all around the branches. The basic color of these corals is pinkish-brown with pale corallites.[1][2]

Distribution and habitat

These widespread but not very common corals can be found in the Red Sea, the southwestern Indian Ocean, Madagascar and Comoros, usually in reefs close to sandy patches, at a depth of 4–20 metres (13–66 ft).[1][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Echinopora fruticulosa Klunzinger, 1879". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
  2. ^ "AIMS Coral Facts Sheet". Archived from the original on 2014-11-05. Retrieved 2014-11-05.
  3. ^ IUCN
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Echinopora fruticulosa: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Echinopora fruticulosa is a species of stony coral in the family Merulinidae.

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Biology

provided by World Register of Marine Species
zooxanthellate

Reference

van der Land, J. (ed). (2008). UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms (URMO).

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Jacob van der Land [email]

Description

provided by World Register of Marine Species
This is an entirely ramose species. While most members of the species develop ramose projections, this species is entirely ramose, with a minimum of encrusting base. Colonies form rounded bushes up to 1.5 m tall and 2 m diameter, though most are smaller. Corallites occur all around the branches. Costae are lightly spined, or may be ridges entirely devoid of spines. Primary septa bear tall, thin paliform lobes, which also differs from the condition in E. gemmacea. This is a widespread and conspicuous species, but is not very common. It is found on sheltered fringing reefs on gentle gradients, commonly near sandy patches between 4 and 20 m deep. (Sheppard, 1998 )

Reference

Sheppard, C.R.C. (1998). Corals of the Indian Ocean: a taxonomic and distribution database for coral reef ecologists

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contributor
Edward Vanden Berghe [email]