The notion of discussing stony coral (Scleractinian) taxonomy is probably one that will elicit the blankest of stares. However, if you are hyper passionate about corals, their evolution and especially their relatedness gives us reefers insight to the care requirements, and the basicfunction这些珊瑚的自然栖息地。
Several months ago we discussed theTree of Lifeand how the changes to coral taxonomy were coming down the pike, and now the Scleractinian Systematics Working Group has released a paper outlining a number of these changes. The SSWG is a large consortium of various coral researchers and taxonomists who used a variety of interdisciplinary science analysis techniques to evaluate the whole stony coral tree of life.
Thepaperitself reads like a boring list of latin names but we’ve done the heavy lifting for you and sorted through all the changes which are featured and highlighted below.
A number of broadly called ‘disc corals’ belonging to the family Fungiidae and the genus Fungia have now been split off into their own respective genera. One notable new monospecific genus is Lobactis, which contains the recognizable coral formerly known as Fungia scutaria.
The other big split off fromFungiaare the elongated disc corals which are now in the genusPleuractis. These includePleuractis paumotensisand five other species, P. gravis, P. granulosa, P. moluccesnsis, P. seychellensisandP. taiwanensis.
Coral reefers have long known that the short polyped flowerpot coral formerly known asGoniopora stutchburyiis not like its congeners. This species retains relatively short polyps, and it can be found in extremely bright colors with various colors of red. Now the short polyped flowerpot is recognized by taxonomists as being distinct with the erection of its own genus,Bernardpora.
On the flipside of the flowerpot coral coin, the genusAlveoporais no longer ever closely related to the traditional flowerpot corals at all!! The genusAlveoporastill retains its species but the whole group is now believed to be closely related to other genera inAcroporaand its similarity with “pure” flowerpot corals is a case of convergent evolution. In a way, it’s easy to imagine some species ofAstreoporawith elongated polyp stalks looking very much likeAlveoporaspecies, especiallyA. minuta.
Isopora is now a fully distinct genus fromAcropora.Taxonomists have been flirting with the notion of theIsoporagenus for decades now, first as a subgenus, but while some researchers have been referring toIsoporaat the generic level, this new review fully justifies thatIsoporais indeed a distinct group of corals fromAcropora.
Galaxea is now in the coral family Euphyliidae, making it more closely related to the hammers and the torch corals that we are all familiar with. While taxonomists may have looked at skeletal and genetic similarities, anyone who’s seen the sweeper tentacles from both Euphyllia and Galaxea will see the family resemblance.
TheFaviaandMontastreagenera are now reserved solely for Caribbean coral species. The new genus name for Indo-PacificFaviaisDipsastraeaand forMontastreait isPhypsastraea.Coral reefers who have already learned the names and differences betweenFavia&Montastreawill probably be hard pressed to adopt the new names.
After much back and forth, it seems that Wellsophyllia radiata is now formally recognized as a distinct genus and species again. The tissues of bothTrachyphylliaandWellsophylliaiare very similar, but they can be distingushed based on their shape and skeletal features.
The two chalice coral genera,Pectinia&Mycediumare now in Merulinidae, and separate from Echinophyllia & Oxypora. There is a clear similarity with the growth and behavior ofPectinia&Mycediumbut with this new taxonomic placement, we can really separate the care and aquarium requirements of these and the other chalice corals.
Homophyllia (Scolymia) australis: So longbleeding appled, warpaint, master and UFO Scolymia australis. You may now be calledHomophyllia australisbut to us your very best will still be known as ‘Master Scolies’.
Parascolymia vitiensiswas reclassified from theScolymia, and recent examination has proposed to placeAustralomussain theParascolymiagenus as well. The thin tissue of ‘vitiensis’ andAustralomussais common for both tissues, and we can imagine that they have similar evolutionary histories.
Stylocoeniellais a genus of cryptic and encrusting stony coral that is now beginning to gain some popularity in the aquarium hobby.The genus is now in in the family Pocilloporidae making it closely related to birdnest coral,Seriatopora, StylophoraandPocillopora. We have observed polyp bail-out inStylocoeniellabefore so we believe that this new taxonomic placement is probably a very good one.
Blastomussais now in an uncertain limbo calledincertae sediswhich means that it is currently unknown where and which corals it is related to. Since the description ofBlastomussa vividawe are partial to the theory thatBlastomussaaremore closely related to the bubble corals ofPlerogyra, PhysogyraandNemenzophyllia.
The genusScolymiais now reserved exclusively for the CaribbeanScolymia lacera
The Caribbean small polyped “Montastrea” are now in their own new genus calledOrbicella.
The genusMontastreais now reserved exclusively for CaribbeanMontastrea cavernosa
The genusFaviais now reserved exclusively for CaribbeanFavia fragum
