Evolution of ahermatypic scleractinian corals from marine caves.

1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 08640585
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Stratigraphy/Paleontology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: MORI Kei Tohoku University, Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Professor, 大学院・理学研究科, 教授 (00004466)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): IRYU Yasufumi Tohoku University, Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Research Associate, 大学院・理学研究科, 助手 (00250671) ; NAKAMORI Toru Tohoku University, Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Associate Professor, 大学院・理学研究科, 助教授 (00192229)
• Project Period (FY): 1996 – 1997
• Keywords: Marine caves / Scleractinian corals / Ahermatypic

Research Abstract

Seven species belonging to six genera have been found in the marine caves mainly from the Ryukyu Islands. Among them, one new genus and four new species are propsed, viz. Madracis sp.nov., Desmophyllum cristagalli Milne-Edwards and Haime, Polycyathus sp.nov., Paracyathus pruinosus Alcock, Dendrophyllia sp.nov., Dendrophyllia elegans Horst and Pectiniidae gen.et sp.nov.
The assemblages are characteristic, being different from those of ahermatypic scleractinians hitherto reported from the Ryukyu Islands. Morphology of the coralla in some species is also peculiar, reflecting the cryptic environments of the marine caves. For example, the coralla of Madracis sp.nov.are massive and very small, while they are generally ramose in open marine environments. In the classification of scleractinian corals, solitary corals have been discriminated from colonial ones in generic level. However, solitary and colonial coralla, both of which possess same calices coexist in the genus Desmophyllum.