Acropora palmata (Lamarck, 1816)

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 : 142

Acropora palmata (Lamarck, 1816)

( Fig. 69 )

Madrepora palmata Lamarck, 1816: 278 .

Madrepora flabellum Lamarck, 1816: 279 .

Madrepora cornuta Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1861: 32 . Madrepora thomasiana Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1861: 32 .

Madrepora perampla Horn, 1861: 435 .

Type locality. ‘American Ocean’ (holotype NMHN). MTQ Holdings. Bahamas: G54475, G54496–98; Mexico: G48424; USA: G49995–97, G54490–95; Venezuela: G51965, G51966; Virgin Is.: G33173–75, G40918.

Species group: cervicornis .

Description. Colony outline: indeterminate, predominantly elkhorn. Branches: tertiary branching order absent; length: <25 mm; diameter: 10.0–19.9 mm, axial-dominated, terete; radial crowding: some touching; axial/radial ratio:>1:10. Axial corallites: two synapticular rings; porous; outer diameter 1.5–2.3 mm; inner diameter 0.7–1.6 mm; primary septa to ¾ R. Radial corallites: large; two synapticular rings; one size or graded; inner wall developed; shape: nariform; openings: oval-rounded; primary septa to 1/3 R. Coenosteum: different on and between radials: between radials: reticulo-costate, on radials: costate; spinule shape: single point.

Further literature. Van Oppen et al. (2000), Vollmer & Palumbi (2002), Gardner et al. (2003), Wallace (2012).

Figures

FIG. 69. Acropora palmata, Florida, United States (photo: E. Turak). Map of documented distribution: blue squares = MTQ specimens; pink squares = literature records; orange diamonds = type localities (where given), including primary synonyms.