Acropora polystoma (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 : 156

Acropora polystoma (Brook, 1891)

( Fig. 76 )

Madrepora polystoma Brook, 1891: 466 ; 1893: 112, pl. 19 fig. A.

Acropora massawensis von Marenzeller, 1907: 54 , pl. 17 figs 49–50.

Type locality. Mauritius (holotype NHM).

MTQ Holdings. Red Sea: G55259 Saudi Arabia; G54851–52 Yemen; Maldives: G59759, G60375; Thailand: G54838, G59341; Malaysia: G57759; Indonesia: G59204 Java; G50539, G50541 Bali; G43812–14 Taka’bonerate; G39817, G50385–86, G50889 Kalimantan; G47253, G47552–56, G49348, G50382–84, G50540, G55430 Sulawesi; G52419 Halmahera; G46843 Banda Sea; Australia: G61679 West; G27878–83, G28293–94, G28296–301, G32472, G34140, G39940–41, G39945–46, G45811, G47622, G48309, G48323, G48329, G51098–104 Great Barrier Reef; G47075, G58430, G64975 South- East; G57641, G60553 Coral Sea; South China Sea: G52224; Japan: G47744–46; Palau: G60207; Papua New Guinea: G53425–27; Louisiade Archipelago: G54407; Micronesia: G62406–09 Pohnpei; G62737–40 Kosrae; Solomon Is.: G58531, G58575, G58998, G59003; New Caledonia: G34989; Chesterfield Atoll: G38243; Samoa: G43475, G54271, G54272; Niue: G54669.

Species group: robusta .

Description. Colony outline: determinate, predominantly corymbose. Branches: tertiary branching order absent; length: 2 5–50 mm; diameter: 10.0–19.9 mm, axial-dominated, tapering; radial crowding: most touching; axial/ radial ratio:>1:10. Axial corallites: two synapticular rings; porous; outer diameter 2.4–4.0 mm; inner diameter 0.8–1.5 mm; primary septa to ¾ R. Radial corallites: large; two synapticular rings; two sizes; inner wall developed; shape: tubular; openings: dimidiate; primary septa to ¼ R. Coenosteum: different on and between radials: between radials: reticulate, on radials: costate; spinule shape: single point.

Further literature. Sheppard & Sheppard (1991), Wallace & Wolstenholme (1998), Wallace (1999), Veron (2000).

Figures

FIG. 76. Acropora polystoma, G64957, Flinders Reef, East Australia, 2011 (photo: P. Muir). Map of documented distribution: blue squares = MTQ specimens; pink squares = literature records; orange diamonds = type localities (where given), including primary synonyms.