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Favid
hard corals
Family Faviidae
updated
Oct 08
Where
seen? Members of this family include the most commonly
encountered hard corals on many of our shores. Some hardy ones are
commonly found even in the murky waters of our Northern shores.
The Family Faviidae is among the largest family of hard corals with
more than 20 genera. It is second to Family Acroporidae in the number
of species. They are considered the fourth largest contributor to
reef formations throughout the world. All members of Famly Faviidae
have a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthallae.
Features: Corallites may
be small so that the colony appears smooth, or large and form hexagonal
patterns that resemble pineapples or honeycombs, in others maze-like
or brain-like. Colonies may be boulder-, dome-shaped or flat, encrusting
plates. Many are strikingly fluorescent.
The Favid genera found on our shores that are more easily distinguished
include Trumpet corals (Caulastrea
sp.), Hedgehog corals (Echinopora
sp.), Zebra corals (Oulastrea crispata)
and Moon corals (Diploastrea heliopora)
For the rest of the genera, it's hard to distinguish them without
close examination of small features. On this website, these are grouped
by large external features for convenience of display. These include
ring corals, maze
corals, hexagonal corals.
Status and threats: None of our
favid corals are listed among the endangered animals of Singapore.
However, like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected
by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Trampling by
careless visitors, and over-collection also have an impact on local
populations. . |
Zebra coral is among the hard corals
most commonly seen on our shores.
Changi, Jun 05
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Family
Faviidae recorded for Singapore
from
Wee Y.C. and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity
in Singapore.
*Groups
based on in Veron, Jen. 2000. Corals of the World.
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Favid corals seen awaiting identification
Favid
species are difficult to positively identify without close examination
with a microscope. On this website,
they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.
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Caulastrea
sp. (Trumpet coral)
Caulestrea echinulata
Cyphastrea
chalcidicum
Cyphastrea microphthalma
Cyphastrea serailia
Diploastrea heliopora (Moon
coral)
Echinopora sp. (Hedgehog
coral)
Echinopora
horrida
Echinopora lamellosa
Favia sp.
Group 1: With small corallites (averaging
less than 8mm in diameter)
Favia stelligera
Favia
laxa
Group 2: With medium corallites (averaging 8-12mm in diameter)
Favia matthaii
Favia speciosa
Favia pallida
Group 3: With large corallites (averaging more than 12mm
in diameter)
Favia
favus
Favites sp.
Group
2: With small corallites (6-10mm in diameter)
Favites chinensis
Group 3: With middle-sized corallites (10-13mm in diameter)
Favites abdita
Favites halicora
Favites complanata
Group 4: With large corallites (over 14mm in diameter)
Favites flexuosa
Goniastrea sp.
Group
1: Honeycomb pattern of corallites (monocentric) with corallite
diameter mostly less than 5mm in diameter
Goniastrea edwardsi
Goniastrea retiformis
Group 2: Predominantly honeycomb pattern of corallites (monocentric)
with corallite more than 5mm in diameter
Goniastrea palauensis
Goniastrea aspera
Group 3: Predominantly brain-like pattern of corallites
(meandroid)
Goniastrea australensis
Goniastrea pectinata
Leptastrea pruinosa
Leptastrea purpurea
Leptastrea transversa
Leptoria phyrigia)
Montastrea sp.
Group
1: With small corallites (less than 7mm in diameter)
Montastrea curta
Group 3: With large corallites (more than 9mm in diameter)
Montastrea magnistellata
Montastrea valenciennesi
Oulastrea crispata (Zebra
coral)
Platygyra sp.
Group 1: Honeycomb pattern of corallites
(monocentric) or brain-like but forming only short valleys
Platygyra
pini
Group 2: Primarily brain-like pattern of corallites (meandroid)
Platygyra
sinensis
Platygyra daedalea
Platygyra lamellina |
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Links
- Hard
corals Turbinaria, Fungia, Goniastrea, Pocillopora, Acropora,
Oulastra, Platygyra, Herpolitha Tan, Leo W. H. & Ng, Peter
K. L., 1988. A
Guide to Seashore Life. The Singapore Science Centre,
Singapore. 160 pp.
References
- Veron, Jen.
2000. Corals
of the World
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Australia. 3 volumes.
- Chou, L.
M., 1998. A
Guide to the Coral Reef Life of Singapore. Singapore Science
Centre. 128 pages.
- Erhardt,
Harry and Daniel Knop. 2005. Corals:
Indo-Pacific Field Guide
IKAN-Unterwasserachiv, Frankfurt. 305 pp.
- Borneman,
Eric H. 2001. Aquarium
Corals: Selection, Husbandry and Natural History
T.F. H Publications. 464 pp
- Wee Y.C.
and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity in Singapore.
National Council on the Environment. 163pp.
- Ng, P. K.
L. & Y. C. Wee, 1994. The
Singapore Red Data Book: Threatened Plants and Animals of Singapore.
The Nature Society (Singapore), Singapore. 343 pp.
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