Acropora spathulata (Brook, 1891)

Wallace, Carden C., Done, Barbara J. & Muir, Paul R., 2012, Revision and catalogue of worldwide staghorn corals Acropora and Isopora (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) in the Museum of Tropical Queensland, Memoirs of the Queensland Museu Nature 57, pp. 1-258 : 190

Acropora spathulata (Brook, 1891)

( Fig. 93 )

Madrepora spathulata Brook, 1891: 469 ; 1893: 121, pl. 32 fig. B.

Type locality. Treasury Island, Solomon Is (holotype NHM).

MTQ Holdings. Australia: G30358, G31165, G31167, G31169–74, G41096–99, G41177–78, G46028–29, G46423, G48362, G48364, G48372, G57034, G58226–34, G58253–57, G58263, G58282–83, G58324–28, G58361–62, G58383–84, G58404–08, G60574, G63932–33 Great Barrier Reef; G33475, G33498 Coral Sea; Papua New Guinea: G52895, G55118–20; Solomon Is.: G58538.

Species group: aspera .

Description. Colony outline: determinate, predominantly corymbose. Branches: tertiary branching order absent; length: 2 5–50 mm; diameter: 10.0–19.9 mm, axial-dominated, terete; radial crowding: most touching; axial/radial ratio:>1:10. Axial corallites: three synapticular rings; porous; outer diameter 2.3–3.5 mm; inner diameter 0.8–1.5 mm; primary septa to ½ R. Radial corallites: medium; two synapticular rings; one size or graded; inner wall not developed; shape: dimidiate/lipped; openings: horizontal lip; primary septa to ½ R. Coenosteum: different on and between radials: between radials: reticulate, on radials: costate; spinule shape: single point.

Further literature. Wallace (1999), Veron (2000).

Figures

FIG. 93. Acropora spathulata, Orpheus Is., North Queensland, 2008 (photo: P. Muir). Map of documented distribution: blue squares = MTQ specimens; pink squares = literature records; orange diamonds = type localities (where given), including primary synonyms.