Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Goniastrea pectinata

 

Multimedia & Additional Resources

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Open this image in pop-up window Image: Colony & corallite detail, Rarotonga 51KB
Open this image in pop-up window Image: Colony, Guam 54KB
Open this image in pop-up window Image: Colony, Guam 76KB

General Information

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Austral Islands

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group (RR, ?Outer Islands); ?N.Group; Marine, near-shore, outer reef-slope, moat, reef-flat lagoon

KEY FEATURES: Submassive, hemispherical or encrusting colony. Calices monocentric to meandroid, often less than 4 centres. 2 septal orders, 1st order has distinct paliform lobes.

SIMILAR SPECIES: Goniastrea edwardsi has smaller corallites (vs larger corallites of Goniastrea pectinata)

Enlarged Image of 'Goniastrea pectinata'

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR 
MG
AT
MK
MT
AK
PL
TK
MN
+++
P
P?
P
P
P

Northern Group:
TN 
MH
RK
PK
NS
SW

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

Goniastrea pectinata (Ehrenberg, 1834)
TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CNIDARIA (=Coelenterates); ANTHOZOA; ZOANTHARIA (=Hexacorallia); Scleractinia (=Madreporaria); FAVIIDAE

More Information

IDENTIFICATION: COLONY hemispherical or encrusting, almost brain-like. Pale brown or pink. CALICES monocentric to meandroid (usually no more than 3 centres). SEPTA, 2 orders, 1st order has distinct paliform lobes & pali. Septal margins dentate and sides granulated. Septa do not adjoin across walls with adjacent corallites. COLUMELLA twisted semi-horizontal rods. REPRODUCTION mono- or polystomodael.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimens+photo, Muri lagoon, S.Miller (2001) ID per Veron (AIMS Mono Series), NHP#SM038 + 044; CK- specimens, G.McCormack, NHP#GM072 - 073.

References:
Special Reference: Veron, J.E.N., Pichon, M. & Wijsman-Best, M. (1977). Scleractinia of Eastern Australia. Part II Families Faviidae, Trachypyhlliidae. Australian Institute of Marine Science Monograph Series 3. p 87-91.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org. Copy citation to system clipboard
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