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Lobophyllia hemprichii

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Type	Description	Download
Image:	Coral colony & detail of meandroid calices, Rarotonga	53KB

General Information

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Tuamotu

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

KEY FEATURES: Colony flat or hemispherical, often greater than 1mØ. Corallite valleys short or meandering. 1st order septa have distinctive large teeth, finer teeth in higher order septa.

SIMILAR SPECIES: Lobophyllia corymbosa has short valleys with 1-3 centres, never more; and colonies seldom exceed 0.5m diameter (vs mono- to polycentric Lobophyllia hemprichii). Identification of isolated corallites with 1 centre a waste of time.

Enlarged Image of 'Lobophyllia hemprichii'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
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

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Lobophyllia hemprichii (Ehrenberg, 1834)
SYNONYMS: Lobophyllia costata [of authors]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CNIDARIA (=Coelenterates); ANTHOZOA; ZOANTHARIA (=Hexacorallia); Scleractinia (=Madreporaria); MUSSIDAE

More Information

IDENTIFICATION: COLONY flat or hemispherical, often more than 1mØ with meandering valleys in open places & short valleys in restricted areas, almost any colour. SEPTA, 4, or 2, or no orders. 1st order septa highly exert, with distinctive large teeth (2-10), reaching columella. Retracted polyps thick and fleshy. Ridges comprised of the wall & septa, thick & rough in appearance, spiny to touch. COLUMELLA cross-barred. REPRODUCTION intratentacular or via dislodged parts of the parent colony. Habitat: This is the most common Lobophyllia in Lagoons, Moats and on Outer Reef-slopes. Range: e.Africa-Tuamotu

GENERAL NOTE: e.Africa-Polynesia

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimens+photo, Muri lagoon, S.Miller (2001) per Veron (AIMS Mono Series), NHP#SM031 - 032; CK- specimen, G.McCormack (1980s?), NHP#GM064.

References:
Special Reference: Veron, J.E.N. & Pichon, M. (1979). Scleractinia of Eastern Australia. Part III Families Agariciidae, Siderastreidae, Fungiidae, Oculinidae, Merulinidae, Mussidae, Pectiniidae, Caryophylliidae, Dendrophylliidae. Australian Institute of Marine Science Monograph Series 4. p 266-274.

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.
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