Mycetophyllia lamarckiana
If you’ve been following myCaribbean coral series你可能会问为什么我等到结束cover this beloved coral.Mycetophyllia lamarckianais one the most recognizable corals in the Caribbean, however teasing apart this confusing genus requires a rigid attention to detail.
Mycetophyllia是一组的珊瑚中发现Caribbea吗n. They are part of the Mussidae family and there are five distinct species.Mycetophyllia lamarckianais often the most colorful of the bunch, having contrasting ridges and valleys with endless combinations in between.
The other four species ofMycetophylliaareM. aliciae, M. danaana,M. ferox, and M. reesi.The last one on the listM.reesiremains elusive and one of the last species of Caribbean coral I’ve yet to find. So when you are learning to identify these species you can focus on the first four, before worrying aboutM. reesi.
Mycetophylliaformes plates, mounds or hemispherical colonies which typically grow from a central point or founder polyps. From here 7-10 polyps form around the central corallite andradiate outwards.The colonies will normally be attached to a rock from the center growing outwards above the substrate.
The four common species ofMycetophylliahave distinct ridges, while the fifth speciesM. reesiis a ridgeless variety. To tell these four corals apart, you have to see if the ridges connect in the center of the colony, if the ridges are continuous from the edge of the colony, or if the ridges connect and close around corallites.
Ridged Cactus Coral
Mycetophyllia lamarckiana,has distinct scalloped edges and continuous ridges that run from the edge of the colony towards the center. The ridges, however, do not connect in the center which is a distinguishing characteristic of this species. The common name for this coral in the Ridged Cactus coral.
But this is where things get tricky. While it’s easier to classify large colonies, small colonies can be mistaken forM. danaana.Some people believeM. lamarckianacould just be juvenileM. danaanacorals that haven’t developed their full skeletal ridges. If there was ever a Caribbean coral that would benefit from a genetic analysis,Mycetophylliais first on the list.
Of the four species,Mycetophyllia feroxis the only coral in the genus to have closed ridges around corallite centers.Mycetophyllia aliciaehas weakly developed ridges and several corallites between ridges, while the other three includingM. lamarckianawill have a single row of corallites between ridges, sometimes two corallites near the edge.
Tricky or Picky?
Perhaps I am being too picky while trying to identify this confusing genus, but I just want to get the most accurate description to share with all of you! I still get stumped byMycetophylliacorals, especially smaller colonies.
For example, the coral below could be placed in several of the species and without analyzing the skeleton or testing the genetics it’s anyone guess what species would best suit this coral. So this is why I’ve waiting until the end to cover this tricky coral species.
Mycetophyllia lamarckianais found between 10 and 75m (30-250 feet). All documented colonies of the corals are under 12-15cm (6-7inches).
If you or someone you know is an expert inMycetophylliacorals I would love topick your brain