Isopora cuneata (Dana, 1846)

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 : 244

Isopora cuneata (Dana, 1846)

( Fig. 120 )

Madrepora cuneata Dana, 1846: 487 .

Madrepora securis Dana, 1846: 486 , pl. 43 fig. 2.

Madrepora plicata Brook, 1891: 465 ; 1893: 134, pl. 9 fig. D.

Madrepora hispida Brook, 1891: 462 ; 1893: 133, pl. 9 fig. C.

Madrepora incrustans Rehberg, 1892: 35 .

Acropora reclinata Nemenzo, 1967: 138 , pl. 38 fig. 2.

Type locality. Fiji (holotype NMNH-SI).

MTQ Holdings. Indonesia: G57116–20 Sulawesi; G51549–50, G51552 Molucca Sea; G51557 Halmahera; Australia: G27810–11, G27814–25, G27827, G27918, G30317, G30904–7, G30909, G30911, G30914–15, G39858–63, G43400–29, G43443–47, G43452–56, G47333, G47354, G51152 Great Barrier Reef; G28531, G28534, G28537, G30318, G60015–24, G60148–50 South-East; G43430–42, G43448–51, G43592, G57623 Coral Sea; Papua New Guinea: G52755–57; Micronesia: G40764–65 Yap; G36609 Truk; G62404–0 5 Pohnpei; Solomon Is.: G58999; New Caledonia: G34971, G34980, G54848, G58709; Chesterfield Atoll: G27812, G27826, G30910, G30913, G30916–18, G30954; Marshall Is.: G37552, G37983; Fiji: G40944; Samoa: G43491–92.

Description. Colony outline: indeterminate, predominantly cuneiform. Branches: tertiary branching order absent; length: 5 0–100 mm; diameter:>19.9 mm, axial-dominated, reverse tapering; radial crowding: some touching; axial/radial ratio:>1:10. Axial corallites: greater than three synapticular rings; not porous; outer diameter 1.5–3.1 mm; inner diameter 0.5–1.0 mm; primary septa to 2/3 R. Radial corallites: large; greater than three synapticular rings; one size or graded; inner wall developed; shape: conical; openings: oval-rounded; primary septa to 1/3 R. Coenosteum: same on and between radials: dense spinules; spinule shape: meandroid elaborate.

Taxonomic note. Although this species is reported to have a range extending well into the Indian Ocean (e.g. in Veron 2 0 0 0, Pillay et al. 2002), we have yet to see a verified specimen of A. cuneata from the Indian Ocean, the most westerly distribution being in the Sulawesi Sea (Indonesia).

Further literature. Nishihira & Veron (1995), Wallace & Wolstenholme (1998), Wallace (1999), Dai & Horng (2009), Wallace et al. (2009), Turak & DeVantier (2011).

Figures

FIG. 120. Isopora cuneata, Pohnpei, Micronesia, 2009 (photo: P. Muir). Map of documented distribution: blue squares = MTQ specimens; pink squares = literature records; orange diamonds = type localities (where given), including primary synonyms.