Leptastrea transversa Klunzinger, 1879

Samiei, Jahangir Vajed, Dab, Koosha, Ghezellou, Parviz & Shirvani, Arash, 2013, Some scleractinian corals (Scleractinia: Anthozoa) of Larak Island, Persian Gulf, Zootaxa 3636 (1), pp. 101-143 : 133

Leptastrea transversa Klunzinger, 1879

( Fig. 32 )

Material: ZUTC Cnid. 1027, colony fragment, Larak Island, 26° 53' 14.4" N, 56° 23' 43.4" E, Coll. J. Vajed Samiei, November 2010.

Identification guide: Veron (2000)

Notes for local identification: Colonies are encrusting to sub-massive, light brown or creamy with creamy brown tentacles. The polyps sometimes have grayish-green mouth parts. Corallites are bigger than in L. pruinosa (some corallites with more than 5 mm width). Septa plunge steeply, which leave a wide columellae and deeper corallites in comparison to L. pruinosa .

Abundance: uncommon.

Depth of occurrence: About 3 m.

Figures

FIGURE 32. Leptastrea transversa, a, exoskeleton; b, close up of corallites; c – d, underwater photographs of different colonies; e, underwater photograph of polyps.